Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 11, 1994 TAG: 9403110186
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
That's the path - Alternative 6 - that state highway planners this week ranked fifth of 12 possible routes for the proposed Michigan to South Carolina highway to pass through Southwest Virginia.
Moore's resolution, if approved, will amount to half a loaf for the I-73 foes in his District A, which covers downtown Blacksburg and much of rural northeast Montgomery between Sinking Creek and Paris mountains.
That's because, at least for now, it would refine, but not replace the board's earlier I-73 endorsement.
At the same time, Moore's proposal would not be a specific endorsement of Alternative 6A, which would follow the proposed "smart road" route across the Ellett Valley en route to the Roanoke area and U.S. 220 to the south. Transportation planners ranked that route second; variations of using the existing Interstate 77 through Wythe County ranked first and third.
Moore said Thursday he hopes the resolution, if approved by the board, can be sent to the state secretary of transportation in time for the March 17 Transportation Board meeting. Planners are to present their recommendations then.
More than 200 people turned out Feb. 28 to demand that the Montgomery supervisors rescind their Jan. 10 endorsement of a route for the proposed new interstate through the county.
Supervisor Joe Stewart of Elliston said then he was willing to reconsider that vote because at the time he had thought the board was only endorsing a route that would follow U.S. 460 through Montgomery and then Virginia 8 through Floyd County.
Other supervisors, too, said they were willing to reconsider the resolution. Moore missed that vote.
But Chairman Larry Linkous, who has agreed to place Moore's proposal on the agenda for Monday's meeting, said Thursday he wasn't ready to say that he doesn't want I-73 passing through the county at all.
Linkous, whose District F borders the Mount Tabor Road-Preston Forest area, said he wanted more information on the benefits or costs of the transportation planners' Alternative 6A.
by CNB