Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 17, 1992 TAG: 9202170203
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LARRY HINCKER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
MORE THAN 6 MINUTES IS AT STAKE
AS IS often the case with the rhetoric of an emotionally charged issue, the first casualties are the facts. There remains a great deal of misunderstanding about the direct road link, the so-called "smart" highway, with the opponents, unfortunately, muddying the waters.The issue of these proposed roads is one of growth and congestion. The growth has and will continue to come. Without proper planning and a vision for the future, congestion much worse than today's will surely follow.
Both Alternative 3A (including the new Interstate interchange) and Alternative 6 are needed. The former solves an intra-valley congestion problem; the latter addresses through-traffic. Remember that more than 80 percent of the traffic passing through the New River Valley heads north. These projects are complementary. Indeed, they are interdependent. The full benefits of one cannot be obtained without the other.
Whether we plan for it, growth will come to the New River Valley. State projections for Montgomery County's population for the year 2000 is 74,000 people but we are already at that level. Actual 1990 population was 73,900.
The Mattern and Craig engineering study showed that in 1987 there were 9,400 trips per day between Blacksburg and Roanoke Valley. The figure grows to 15,000 trips in 2007.
Those are not all commuters. They are everyday people in everyday activities - shoppers, delivery truck drivers, kids on the way to lessons, travelers heading to the airport, businessmen - and yes, commuters. The last census showed about 3,000 commuters per day move between the New River and Roanoke valleys.
Some have alleged that Alternative 3A - the bypass to bypass connector - can handle all the through traffic in addition to intra-valley traffic. That is simply not true. Even if two more lanes were added creating a six lane road parallel to the existing four lane road, it could not handle the projected load in the design year (p.I-21, draft EIS). In engineering parlance the road would be unstable and result in congestion, slowed traffic, and unsafe conditions.
Yet if both Alternative 6 and 3A were built, traffic would be at the optimal level.
The allegation that a six-minute savings is inconsequential is the most specious. Transportation engineers consider this a significant savings either in relative or absolute terms. It represents a 20 percent time savings on a Blacksburg to Roanoke trip. On any other road project in the state that would be considered quite an accomplishment.
More importantly it's not just six minutes. Is just one person going to take one trip during the life of the road? With 15,000 trips per day, the aggregate time saved is 1,500 hours per day or 263 person-years annually. From a cost-benefit standpoint, that is enormous.
Environmentally speaking, that time savings reduces gasoline consumption and eliminates one ton of carbon monoxide emissions daily that would otherwise occur on a route with wasted travel time.
Opponents are fearful that the Ellett Valley will be despoiled and turned into a fast-food alley. Impossible. How can there be industrial or commercial development with no way to get off the road? This is to be a limited access highway and cars cannot depart the roadway any more than they could on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. There are no hamburger havens on Interstate 81 between Ironto and Christiansburg. It is the same principle.
The opportunity to build a smart road from the ground up affords a unique chance for this region to become a major research center for intelligent vehicle systems. IVHS testing is under way in this country, but this would be the first application of rural smart roads. About 50 percent of all accidents occur in rural areas.
Certainly some of the low-tech IVHS features such as warning signs or indicators can be incorporated into Alternative 3A or I-81. Plans are to do just that. But, it is not possible to build on any roadway except Alternative 6 the sophisticated test lanes necessary for research, for example, of remotely piloted vehicles or to create adverse weather conditions. Only Alternative 6 has the terrain features, space, or remoteness for these more advanced applications.
There are valid concerns about additional traffic generated by the proposed interchange at Route 723. VDOT developed an interchange design to show what one would look like if desired. It is not required for roadway operation. If Montgomery County does not want it, VDOT will take it out (and save $3.3 million). The purpose of this road is to get quickly from to I-81 in the predominant direction of travel.
The lightening rod for many detractors has been the VDOT draft environmental impact statement. For some it is difficult to dispute the facts so they attack the credibility of the report. Every state agency, environmental or otherwise, with an interest in the outcome has reviewed the EIS. No comments were received that could not be addressed.
Some have offered a pipe dream of mass transit solving Southwest Virginia's transportation problems, which is a cruel ruse. Only the largest cities can make rail transit systems work.
Opposition to this project is from people who understandably are concerned for their way of life and their property. Every precaution must be taken to protect their rights and minimize impact. It is important to note, though, that not one business nor one farm operation will be negatively impacted and only six people will be displaced (p.IV-5, draft EIS). By modern road building standards this is a remarkable feat.
Don't be fooled by the arguments that pit Alternative 6 vs. Alternative 3A. Both are vital. These projects represent an integrated approach to solving vexing problems looming on the horizon of the 21st century. We have a grand opportunity not afforded to many communities to plan for the future. By not addressing crucial traffic needs, we could doom ourselves to Northern Virginia style gridlock and severely restrict the sociological and economic vitality of our region.
Larry Hincker is director of University Relations at Virginia Tech.