Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 6, 1995 TAG: 9507060059
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The Justice and Peace Committee of St. Jude Catholic Church wants the city to add sidewalks along Second Avenue and along streets east of the Radford University campus, and to develop bicycle paths and sidewalks to link Radford's east and west ends. The committee plans to submit petitions to City Council favoring the proposals, said Dick Pennock, its chairman.
The idea is "to keep people from being forced to get in the car to drive from one place to another" in Radford, he said Wednesday.
Pennock reports his committee got an enthusiastic response from parishioners who were asked to sign a statement of support for the concepts.
The local American Heart Association chapter also recently voted to support the committee's proposals, which contain few specifics at this point.
St. Jude's former pastor, the Rev. Tom Magri, brought the issue to the association's local board several months ago, and response was "universally favorable" said Barry Anderson, a board member. "I thought the unit should formally express a position," he explained.
The city has put similar sidewalk and bikeway suggestions on hold, although they are part of Radford's Comprehensive Plan. The plan lists a "West Side Connection" involving Sundell Avenue, Second Avenue and Lawrence Street among its priority projects. A "Riverside Trail" along the New River between Bisset Park and the new Veterans' Park also is on the list.
In April, council took no action on a Planning Commission recommendation to do preliminary engineering and design for a walkway-bikeway system to link Belle Heth Elementary and Radford High schools, and possibly McHarg Elementary School. The preferred option would include sidewalks along Second Avenue and Second Avenue Extended - where pedestrians must share the road with vehicles - so pupils could safely walk between the two schools. Because of limited facilities for certain sports such as volleyball, some high school athletes now practice at Belle Heth.
City Engineer Jim Hurt said he supports the concept of Second Avenue sidewalks, but is quick to point out that they would have to be part of a more extensive - and expensive - roadway renovation and expansion.
For starters, the city doesn't own enough right of way to widen Second Avenue for sidewalks, he said Wednesday. Right now, rebuilding Second Avenue is on the city's 2010 transportation plan.
Still, having a specific bikeway plan in hand would help, Hurt said. "We'll be able to superimpose the bike plan on the highway project," he explained.
He also welcomed the community support because it costs more to add bikeways and sidewalks. "I'm all for the project, no matter how it gets started."
Hurt said he could not estimate the cost of a bikeway-walkway system without a detailed plan.
The Radford Heart Association chapter said bicycle paths and sidewalks would cut down on driving and traffic and let people exercise while traveling from place to place.
Pennock's committee also wants the city to examine the whole issue of public transportation, both within the city and possibly between Radford and other New River Valley communities, "like the [Blacksburg Transit] Two-town Trolley, " he said. The Heart Association chapter took no stand on the mass transit concept.
He said the committee sees a need to make it easier for those without cars to get around and to avoid the city's tight downtown parking situation.
Pennock said he hopes the committee's concepts are studied seriously and "not tossed aside as something that just won't work."
by CNB