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

DATE: FRIDAY, July 7, 1995                   TAG: 9507070030
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL RICHARDSON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

A TRUCKLESS 'SMART' ROAD IS JUSTIFIABLE

AS CHAIRMAN of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Smart Road, I would like to express our appreciation for the important role your newspaper plays in helping the committee fulfill its responsibility as a catalyst between the Virginia Department of Transportation and the community at large.

We represent a broad range of public interests in the "smart" road, with members from both the Roanoke and New River Valley regions. The committee understands its role as adviser to VDOT, and we appreciate the department's interest in receiving community input as it plans this facility.

Since January, we have met every month and are pursuing a program to address concerns, recommendations and issues surrounding the road that have been raised by our members or other citizens.

We have already passed several resolutions, including an open-space initiative, a recommendation concerning the exit at Interstate 81, a recommendation for a scenic overlook, and one concerning heavy trucks on the smart road, which you alluded to in your June 8 editorial (``Why dumb down the smart road?''). Next month we will consider resolutions dealing with endangered plant species found on the route, and concurrent recreational trail/greenway concepts.

Concerning the resolution on heavy trucks, it would be helpful to consider issues raised by the committee on this subject:

nThe grade of the smart road from Ellett Valley to Blacksburg is at least as steep as Christiansburg Mountain on I-81 or U.S. 460 west of Blacksburg.

nThe smart road, as presented to the committee, will initially be constructed as a two-lane road (one lane each way) between I-81 and Blacksburg.

nThe bridge across Ellett Valley, an area seeing rapid development of high-value residential construction, will be more than 150 feet high and 900 feet long.

Before dismissing our recommendation as an attempt to scuttle the smart road, you might have considered what it would be like to funnel I-81 traffic on Christiansburg Mountain into single lanes. Hazardous-material spills are certainly a concern, but the threat to the everyday safety of motorists traveling in such conditions is immediate. An additional concern was the excessive noise generated by heavy trucks on steep grades, and its effect on the quality of life for residents of Ellett Valley.

The committee did address the issue of testing smart-highway technology with all kinds of traffic, and made provision for reconsidering a truck ban when the smart road is completed.

Bill Richardson, of Blacksburg, is chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Smart Road.

by CNB