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

DATE: SUNDAY, November 14, 1993                   TAG: 9311130074
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PAVED SHOULDERS HELP ALL HIGHWAY USERS

Not only is bicycling one of the fastest growing participation sports in the country, but it's also a great way to get around. Cycling is nonpolluting, uses none of our scarce energy resources and is super exercise. However, as Richard Hunter of Blacksburg points out in a recent Current letter, bike access to area primary roads is severely restricted.

In fact, virtually none of the major highways nearby have adequate paved shoulders, which would make cycling safe and nonobtrusive to cars and trucks. Neither U.S. 11, Virginia 114 nor Virginia 8 is suitably equipped. Our county's busiest road, U.S. 460 between Blacksburg and Christiansburg, has shoulders in only piecemeal arrangement, making it dangerous to the point of being essentially unusable.

Not only do paved shoulders make highways accessible to cyclists, they have many other benefits as well. Edge-cracking of pavement is eliminated, so costly repairs of road surfaces are required less often. Emergency parking and access by emergency vehicles is safer. And cracked windshields no longer result if the wheels of the vehicle ahead drift to the right of the white edge-line.

If local governments and the state Highway Department were to pave shoulders on all major highways, every highway user would benefit.\ Michael S. and\ Jane L. Abraham\ New River Valley Bicycle Club\ Christiansburg

by CNB