Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 8, 1995 TAG: 9511080013
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-18 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: J. DAN BRUGH
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
We hosted a citizens' informational meeting in Blacksburg Oct. 5 on the smart road. The meeting was like all other such meetings held on any highway project anywhere in Virginia. It wasn't any more ``high tech'' than any other, and it wasn't an ``advertisement.'' In fact, it wasn't even required by law. We hold informational meetings to give interested citizens additional opportunities to review road projects with department representatives. The meetings are designed to be informal and nonintimidating so that more people will participate, ask questions and determine for themselves the worth of a proposed project.
In reference to the final environmental-impact statement on the smart road, Parsons states that this required document ``has never been available at the library.'' Copies were sent to the library on two occasions, and I've sent another one recently.
The environmental-impact document has been available to the public since it was completed in 1993. When we ran out of copies for sale, there was some delay in getting more printed, but they're available now. It's lengthy, and we charge only our cost for it - $31 for the statement and $3 for its addendum.
VDOT didn't deny citizens a public forum in which to state their opinions on the smart road. The Oct. 18 public hearing was informal, a style that doesn't intimidate. The traditional public hearing to which Parsons refers to is no longer used. Our newer, open-forum style has proved to draw more people and more comments on proposed road projects.
Under the old public-hearing setting, people desiring to make oral comments had to get up in front of an audience, approach a microphone and speak to a panel of VDOT officials. Surveys show that only about 10 percent of those attending this type of hearing made comments.
In the newer public-hearing format, up to 50 percent of those attending make comments. VDOT's responsibility is to gather as much public feedback as possible before decisions are made on road projects. With that in mind, we prefer the newer style.
Everyone's input is important, regardless of his or her opinion. We provide several ways for people to tell us what they think. At public hearings, participants can speak to a court reporter who will record their remarks, they can talk with VDOT representatives and they can leave written comments. Written comments are taken for at least 10 days after a public hearing.
All comments - whether recorded or written, from opponents or proponents, individuals or groups, elected officials or private citizens - become part of the public record. This information is provided to members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board for their consideration in making decisions about highway projects.
J. Dan Brugh is resident engineer at the Virginia Department of Transportation in Christiansburg.
by CNB