Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 23, 1992 TAG: 9202210151
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
ROAD WOULD HELP ONLY OUTSIDERS
It is strange that the will of so many outsiders such as Mr. [Steve] Musselwhite of Vinton, [state Board of Transportation member]; Mayor [Noel] Taylor of Roanoke; the hierarchy of Virginia Tech; the few traveling to Roanoke to work; the mayor of Blacksburg [Roger Hedgepeth]; and others outside our area have so much say in what is best for Montgomery County and Christiansburg.Oh yes! I forgot Rep. [Rick] Boucher [D-Abingdon], who resides so many miles from this area.
Mr. Musselwhite stated that if Montgomery County didn't play the game under his terms, he was going to dump all the garbage from proposed Route 3A onto Roanoke Street in Christiansburg and let them handle it the best way they could.
Talk about arm twisting!
If one looks at the so called smart road, who would benefit from it? Only Virginia Tech, the few who work in Roanoke or travelers west of Blacksburg going north. No one east of this route would benefit. Who would backtrack east to west to go north?
Advocates of this proposal say it will open up this area to economic growth. They are smoking the wrong kind of cigarette! How would it benefit Montgomery County, Radford, Christiansburg or other areas east of this proposed link?
A two-minute saving in travel time between Blacksburg and Roanoke isn't going to make any difference in the thinking of corporate CEOs on their decision to move into this area. Their decision will be made mainly by what the planning commissions in this area are willing to give up to entice them.
I have not spoken in regard to the environmental impact. We look at the plans as proposed and see just a small line. Let's look into what has to be done to acquire fulfillment of this line.
First, to acquire the aforementioned proposed ribbon of concrete, we will have to move millions of cubic yards of fill from our area to another. To do this and acquire the correct elevation of this roadway, they will have to cut through the mountains and deposit the fill into and around the Ellett Valley area.
The so-called professors and brains at Virginia Tech say they need this road to study "smart road" technology. If they would look around outside of their own little world, they would notice that the technology has been studied for years in the Northeast, Midwest and West . . . [using] existing facilities.
If Tech wants to do other research, let them build the facility on their own property (they have plenty) and not saddle the taxpayer with paying for another of their new toys.
Now regarding the effects of the link to Ellett Valley . . . even now the existing road is not capable of handling the traffic. Imagine what would happen if this valley was opened up. It would not only ruin the pristine serenity and beauty, but down the road Montgomery County would have to look into the expense of widening the road to facilitate the new traffic.
One thing that brings the hair up on the nape of my neck is the smoke-filled back-room tactics . . . Notice who was invited? Not the little people who are directly affected.
The economy being in such a state as it is, I believe the money needed for this foolish toy can be funneled into some other more constructive areas. Let us get into the business of upgrading our existing highways and things that would benefit all of the area, and not throw it down this unnecessary rat hole.
To the so-called protectors of the little people (we elected you) read our lips! Listen to us! That is why we put you there.\ Elliot Brusseau\ Christiansburg