Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 4, 1993 TAG: 9304040211
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: ABINGDON LENGTH: Medium
INTERSTATE FUNDING HEARING DETOURED
It was not supposed to come up at all, but U.S. 58 became the main subject at the annual Southwest Virginia hearing for funds on interstate and primary roads Friday.Bristol District Administrator Jack Corley kept reminding speakers that money for a start on four-laning U.S. 58 across Virginia came from a special fund and was not what state transportation officials had come to hear about.
They heard about it, anyway.
When David Gilliam of Mountain Heritage Alliance got up to state his organization's opposition to the highway's going through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, two other members of the group unfolded a sign with a red circle around and a slash through the U.S. 58 symbol.
Mark Barker of Sugar Grove, another alliance representative, said it would save millions of dollars to route the new U.S. 58 over interstate highway, and that route would be only two-tenths of a mile longer than taking it through the recreation area.
After being ruled out of order, Barker argued that the transportation officials had listened to speakers from the coalfields earlier when they spoke in favor of the approved U.S. 58 route.
Tom Davenport, also with the group, said he thought it would be illegal to build any of the planned highway through the recreation area before an environmental impact survey had been completed.
Corley said that would be done during the design phase of the project.
Others - including Del. G.C. Jennings, D-Marion; Smyth County Board of Supervisors Chairman William Blevins; Grayson County Administrator Don Young; Abingdon Mayor Joe Phipps; and Smyth County Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee Chairman Bob Dix - all spoke in support of the rerouting and four-laning of U.S. 58 as approved earlier by the Transportation Board.
Speakers from Washington County urged that U.S. 58 be four-laned between Abingdon and Damascus and that Virginia 91 be four-laned between Damascus and the Tennessee line as part of the regular six-year highway plan.
Jennings also called for that, saying there would be very few adverse environmental effects along that segment of road.
The legislative delegation was unanimous on the subject. Del. Joseph Johnson, D-Abingdon, said there were "no ifs, ands or buts" about the need to four-lane U.S. 58 from Abingdon to Damascus regardless of any controversy. "We need it for economic development," he said.
Del. Jackie Stump, D-Castlewood, agreed. So did Del. Ford Quillen, D-Gate City, who is not seeking another term, and George Cridlin of Lee County, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed him. "There's a great excitement in Lee County because the [U.S. 58] program is beginning," Cridlin said.
If U.S. 58 got mentioned most, second place went easily to the Breaks Interstate Park in Dickenson County.
State Sen. Jack Reasor, D-Bluefield, and Coalfield Economic Development Authority Chairman Jim Robinson urged that Virginia 609 off U.S. 460, one of the roads to the park, should be designated a primary route so it would be eligible for improvement.
"We see this [park] in Southwest Virginia as a major tourist centerpiece," Reasor said. Robinson said it was being pushed as a major attraction in the coalfields, and Stump said, "We intend to make that the number one tourist attraction in Southwest Virginia."
Those seeking better access to Breaks Interstate Park also urged improvement of Virginia 80 and 83 as well as completing the four-laning of U.S. 460 to the Kentucky line.
Wytheville Mayor Trent Crewe - in remarks delivered by Wytheville Town Manager Wayne Sutherland - said Interstates 81 and 77 which cross in Wythe County had brought much progress, but also generated problems when they were closed by last month's blizzard.
Thousands of vehicles were diverted into Wythe County and emergency shelters had to be found.
"I mention this because this was not an isolated incident," Crewe said. "There is example after example of previous occurences that have created massive gridlock or which have resulted in two entire interstates being diverted into the town of Wytheville."
He said constructing ramps and other minor projects to draw on the four service-road lanes paralleling the six-lane, combined interstate would allow more effective management of heavy traffic, and it would be prudent and timely to do it now.