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

DATE: SATURDAY, March 11, 1995                   TAG: 9503130037
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: STEPHEN FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

`SMART' HIGHWAY GROUP TO SEEK ANSWERS TO MANY QUESTIONS ON ROAD FEATURES

Building a bicycle path alongside the "smart" road would cost $5.3 million - a third of the money that has been allocated so far to go toward building the highway, a citizens advisory committee learned Thursday.

That information, at least, provides substantive background for the 15-member committee to work with while it comes up with suggestions for the road.

The New River and Roanoke valley residents, handpicked by the Virginia Department of Transportation to make up the committee, are finding out they have plenty of questions. How many answers they will get - and how much effect the group will have on the final design of the road - though, has yet to be seen.

Thursday, the group broke into three subcommittees to brainstorm a list of questions and concerns about the road, a six-mile highway to run from Blacksburg to Interstate 81. The first stretch will be built as a 1.7 -mile test bed for futuristic car and sensor research.

The possibility of a bike path had been raised at last month's meeting, and Dan Brugh, resident engineer for VDOT's Christiansburg office, provided a memo to the members this month detailing the cost estimates.

According to the memo, a bike path from Virginia 643 to Virginia 641 near the interstate would cost more than $1.6 million for bridges, $2.2 million for excavation and $200,000 for purchase of additional right-of-way land. The estimated $5.3 million price tag for a 3.5-mile path is a "high cost," and improvements to widen existing roads through Ellett Valley would be more economical, the memo concluded.

Among the other questions raised Thursday, were:

Will a study be made of the geology where the road would run - addressing the possibility of karst terrain that could lead to sink holes developing around the road, like the one that closed part of Interstate 81 less than two weeks ago?

What options are available in terms of bridge designs, with sentiment urging that an aesthetically pleasing design be used when a 900-foot long span is built over Ellett Valley?

Could truck traffic be restricted?

Could an overlook - like those on Interstate 64 on Afton Mountain - be built so travelers could take in a view of the surrounding landscape?

The questions will be sent to the members before the April 6 meeting. Brugh offered to provide information on questions that his office could answer, and the group's chairman suggested that members take it upon themselves to find expert opinions on issues raised before they meet again.

by CNB