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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 17, 1995                   TAG: 9503170016
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

STATE HIGHWAY PLANNERS TO HEAR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS' SUGGESTIONS

Proposed interstate, primary and urban highway projects in Southwest Virginia will get an airing Wednesday when the Virginia Department of Transportation's Salem District holds its annual pre-allocation hearing.

Residents and government officials from the 12-county Salem District will have a chance to express their views on needed road and public transportation projects. Secondary-road projects are considered at separate hearings and will not be discussed Wednesday.

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Robert Martinez and Transportation Commissioner David Gehr are scheduled to attend the hearing. Members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board and senior Transportation Department officials from Richmond also will attend.

The hearing is the first step in the department's effort to gather public opinion before the six-year construction plan is updated for the 1995-96 fiscal year. Another hearing will be held June 12 in Salem, after the department proposes a new six-year plan.

The department plans to hear speakers from the following localities at the following approximate times on Wednesday:

10:15 a.m. - Galax, Radford, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Dublin, Hillsville, Narrows, Pearisburg and Pulaski and the counties of Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski.

11:15 a.m. - Roanoke, Salem and Vinton and the counties of Botetourt, Craig and Roanoke.

12:15 p.m. - Bedford, Martinsville, Rocky Mount and Stuart and the counties of Bedford, Franklin, Henry and Patrick.

Those who cannot attend the hearing may send written comments within 10 days to Fred Altizer, Salem District administrator, Virginia Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 3071, Salem 24153.

The hearing begins at 10 a.m. at the district office at 731 Harrison Ave.

by CNB