Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 12, 1991                   TAG: 9104120552
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIRST STREET BRIDGE REOPENS

The First Street bridge over Norfolk Southern's tracks in downtown Roanoke had been expected to be closed for three months so it could be raised to allow double-stacked trains to pass through the city.

But it reopened on a limited basis Thursday - six weeks early.

The narrow, two-lane structure, which was closed Feb. 25, wasn't expected to reopen until late May.

The 100-year-old bridge was raised by 3 1/2 feet so that trains carrying stacked tractor-trailer containers could pass beneath. The railroad paid the $200,000 bill for raising the 315-foot-long structure.

The contractor has finished the structural work, but the bridge still must be repainted, said Bob Bengtson, city traffic engineer.

The bridge will remain open for morning and evening peak-hour traffic on weekdays, although it will be be closed a few days between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for painting, Bengtson said. It also will be closed on weekends until the painting is finished.

NS already uses double-stack trains on other parts of its system, but has not been able to run them between Norfolk and Bristol. The First Street bridge was the last of 22 bridges and tunnels raised on the route.

Roanoke plans to construct a new bridge across the tracks at Second Street as part of an inner-loop traffic plan to compensate for closing the Hunter Viaduct for the Dominion Tower building.

But the First Street bridge will be retained for the Henry Street revival project and other development tied to the renovation of Hotel Roanoke and construction of a conference center.

The First Street bridge ultimately might be used only for pedestrians, depending on the Henry Street plan and other development, city officials said.