ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603130075
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
Glenvar residents have been asking Roanoke County staff members why a stretch of U.S. 11/460 hasn't been widened despite recent industrial growth - and talk of more.
The county says it's been a priority, but the Virginia Department of Transportation says it just doesn't have the money.
On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors discussed ways to get the U.S. 11/460 improvements and two other projects included on VDOT's six-year primary road plan.
County Administrator Elmer Hodge and his staff have been criticized by Glenvar residents for not making the widening of U.S. 11/460 a higher priority so that VDOT would begin the project sooner.
The county recently announced a deal with R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., a book printer, to locate in Valley TechPark, off the highway. Donnelley is expected to employ 175 by the end of next year, and possibly as many as 750 after the turn of the century.
And the county's Industrial Development Authority wants to rezone a 456-acre farm less than a mile away from Valley TechPark to accommodate future industrial growth.
That's why Glenvar residents say U.S. 11/460 improvements are needed more than ever.
But Hodge said the county has been asking VDOT for 10 years to put U.S. 11/460 on its six-year plan.
At a recent meeting with Glenvar residents, VDOT's Salem district administrator, Fred Altizer, said VDOT hasn't had the money to add U.S. 11/460 to a backlog of county road projects.
On Tuesday, Hodge asked the board how to persuade VDOT to add U.S. 11/460 and two other projects to the six-year plan.
Six projects have been budgeted on the plan, including improvements to U.S. 221 in Back Creek and the widening of Interstate 81 to six lanes.
The six-year plan is how the state sets priorities for funds that are anticipated for road construction and improvements. The plan is updated annually.
The county wants to add to that list the widening of U.S. 11/460, the widening of Williamson Road between Virginia 115 and the Roanoke city limits, and spot improvements to Plantation Road.
Hodge suggested that the board rearrange by priority a list of projects it submits to VDOT annually. But, he cautioned, that ``is not something you want to do often,'' because it could slow work on already-budgeted projects.
Or, the county could look for ways to begin work on some projects itself, Hodge said.
The board decided, however, to submit the list of projects as is. The county will try to persuade VDOT to add the other three projects to the six-year plan during a public hearing April 2 at the Salem Civic Center. ``We want to get the message to VDOT,'' Hodge said.
This year, VDOT has allocated a little more than $83 million to interstate, primary and urban roads in the Salem district, which covers 11 counties and 10 cities.
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Map by staff.by CNB