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

DATE: TUESDAY, January 26, 1993                   TAG: 9301260488
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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MALL COULD HAVE EASED TRAFFIC JAM

IF THERE is an emergency evacuation plan for the Tanglewood Mall/Kroger shopping complex, either the plan doesn't work or management didn't choose to implement it. Recently, when there was a major power outage in the area and the stores closed, the traffic in the parking lots was at a virtual standstill one hour later.

Police should have been notified by the mall and Kroger management of their intention to close and of their need for immediate traffic control.

All entrances into the complex should have been closed to nonessential, incoming traffic to avoid further congestion.

The "entrance only" from Route 419 into the mall should have been reversed to provide another exit from the complex.

Police should have been assigned immediately to all intersections with non-functioning traffic lights.

Had there been a real emergency requiring evacuation of all shoppers and employees, this traffic situation would not only have been inconvenient and unacceptable, but it would have been disastrous. I hope that a lesson has been learned, and that the Tanglewood management and police will work together to devise a plan of evacuation that will ensure our safety. BEA KEMPSTER ROANOKE

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