PARKWAY NEEDS ROANOKE SIGNS, BOWERS SAYS

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

DATE: SUNDAY, January 3, 1993                   TAG: 9301030151
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
PARKWAY NEEDS ROANOKE SIGNS, BOWERS SAYS
A few signs on the Blue Ridge Parkway could provide a big boost for tourism in the Roanoke Valley, Roanoke Mayor David Bowers says.
And Bowers has taken his case for the signs to Gary Everhardt, superintendent of the parkway, as part of his campaign to make tourism the primary focus for economic growth in the city in the next four years.
Everhardt said the mayor's request will be considered as part of a review of the parkway's sign policy. The policy does not allow directional signs for localities or businesses.
Bowers said millions of travelers pass along the 470-mile scenic highway annually without stopping in Roanoke because they don't know it's there.
The lack of signs alerting parkway travelers to Roanoke was pointed out recently in a Southern Living magazine story on downtown Roanoke's attractions.
"Most travelers on the Blue Ridge Parkway don't even know they are passing right by the city," the article said.
"There are no signs pointing a way to Roanoke, no indication that the largest city on the parkway is just over the ridge, near milepost 120. Few of the 26 million people who travel the parkway each year take the easy exit to Roanoke."
The magazine story prompted Bowers to write Everhardt that "it is regrettable" there are no signs alerting travelers to such attractions as the Mill Mountain Star, Mill Mountain Zoo, City Market, Virginia Museum of Transportation and Center in the Square.
Bowers said the city built the Fishburn Parkway up Mill Mountain to provide travelers on the parkway with easy access into downtown. But there are no signs to alert them to the road, he said.
Everhardt said officials are reviewing the parkway's sign policy to determine what, if anything, might be done to better inform visitors about off-parkway services and attractions, including Roanoke.
But he said it is not a simple process because there are differing views on the sign issue.
"A number of staff members contend, with justification, that the present . . . policy has served us well for many years," Everhardt said.
"They insist that we be extremely careful about setting new precedents, and correctly point out that any revision to the present policy will affect the entire 470-mile parkway."
Bowers said he understands the parkway officials' concerns, but the city needs to participate in the review of the sign policy.
On another highway issue affecting the city, a Virginia Department of Transportation official said there are no plans to install lights on Interstate 581 and the Roy L. Webber Highway.
But Fred Altizer Jr., Salem district administrator for the department, said he will pass along the city's request to the department's program and scheduling division.
City Manager Bob Herbert raised the lighting issue recently when he asked Altizer whether the proposed widening of Interstate 81 would affect the I-581 interchange.
Highway engineers have just begun preliminary engineering on widening a 40-mile section of I-81 between Christiansburg and the U.S. 11 interchange in Botetourt County, Altizer said.
Engineers do not have enough information at this point to determine the impact on the I-581 interchange, Altizer said. But he said he anticipates major changes in the configuration of the interchange.
Altizer said he will keep city officials informed about the project as the plans are developed.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB