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

DATE: TUESDAY, June 6, 1995                   TAG: 9506060111
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ANN DONAHUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE

As of Monday, the Elm Avenue southbound on-ramp to Roy Webber Highway was closed and will remain closed for 45 days. The northbound on-ramp will not be affected.

Detour signs direct drivers back to U.S. 220 at the Virginia 419/Tanglewood Mall junction, said Roanoke Traffic Engineer Bob Bengtson.

"It's going to take a few days to straighten it out," Bengtson said.

Scott Hodge, assistant resident engineer at the Virginia Department of Transportation office in Salem, said the ramp is closed because of work on the highway's Jefferson Street and Albemarle Avenue bridges. He said there will be more room to accelerate on the ramp when construction is complete.

Hodge hopes the work can be done in less than 45 days, but he said the schedule depends on the cooperation of the weather.

"We realize it's an inconvenience," Hodge said. "There's not a whole lot of other space to put the traffic to do the work."

Motorists who frequent the area say avoiding the construction will be a hassle.

United Ambulance Service drivers are worried about slower response times.

"Getting to the hospitals will be a big problem," said dispatcher Mike Hurt. "With 5 p.m. traffic and morning traffic as it is now, it'll be causing a big delay."

Clemons Courier Services drivers have devised their own routes to avoid the snarl in front of Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley.

"The congestion there is every day, construction or no construction," said supervisor Dee Taylor.

"We've been trying to completely avoid it," she said. "In the afternoon, if you're delayed 10 minutes, you're late."

Commuter Beth Doughty said she'll probably go over to Brambleton Avenue if the traffic is gridlocked.

Doughty, executive director of the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership, said the closing of the Elm on-ramp would slow her down on her return home from work.

"The baby sitter isn't going to like it," she said.

And if you're too tired to cook after navigating the traffic home, you may have to wait longer for your pizza to be delivered.

"It'll close to double the time," said Pizza Hut Area Manager Mark Jackson. "It means all our drivers will have to go through town."