Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 26, 1993 TAG: 9310260252
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The board also heard a raft of comments and complaints from residents who want their roads widened, improved or paved as part of the state's six-year spending plan for secondary road improvements.
After a rehash of arguments for and against the proposed 76-lot trailer park on 18 acres owned by Frank and Joyce Howard off Cove Hollow Road, Supervisor Joe Stewart, who represents the area, moved that the board rezone the property.
"I think it will be an improvement from what's there now; I'm sure it will be," Stewart said. "I think we need a good park."
But Supervisor Joe Gorman moved to table the rezoning until the Virginia Department of Transportation makes a commitment on turn lanes and a new crossover on U.S. 460 to allow access to the site.
His motion carried 4-3 over the objections of Supervisors Stewart, Nick Rush and Henry Jablonski.
After the vote, Chairman Ira Long called in Dan Brugh, state resident highway engineer, and board members questioned him about the lanes and crossover.
Brugh said turn lanes at two existing U.S. 460 crossovers - just east and west of Cove Hollow Road - would be a requirement and would have to be paid for by the Howards. U.S. 460 is a divided, four-lane highway in the area just west of the Roanoke County line, near Wilson's Restaurant.
The Transportation Department is studying the new crossover option but probably will not make a recommendation until next month, Brugh said.
With that information, Jablonski moved that the board put the rezoning back on the table for consideration. But Long ruled against his attempt, because Gorman said his questions hadn't been answered.
Earlier in Monday's meeting, the board heard from more than county 20 residents who wanted improvements made on secondary roads. Virginia spends about $1.5 million a year for secondary-road improvements in Montgomery County, an amount that pays for about three miles of paving. The board should act on the priority list by next month, Brugh said.
The problem spots included:
North Fork Road between Elliston and Interstate 81. Several speakers cited this as a particularly dangerous, narrow road that cuts along the side of a mountain. School bus driver Paul Baldwin said he routinely has to stop when a tractor-trailer, dump truck or other school bus is coming in the opposite direction.
Clyde Hodges, a lieutenant in the Elliston Volunteer Fire Department, said his crews have answered 64 calls using North Fork Road this year, including a triple fatality on the road itself. Because of the narrow roadway, fire trucks can travel only at 25 mph as they make their way to I-81, where they have responded to 25 wrecks this year, Hodges said.
That section of road is eighth on the 26-item six-year plan for widening at a cost of $90,000. Work is scheduled to begin next September.
Sidney Church Road in the Riner area. Speakers said it had been on the list for years without change. It's a $631,641 project that's now ranked 22nd and is scheduled for 1999 completion.
Craigs Mountain Road southeast of Christiansburg near the Sugar Grove community. Residents said it's too narrow, and portions get washed out after a rainfall. It's now ranked 13th and is estimated to cost $538,000 by late 1998.
by CNB