ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, May 6, 1996 TAG: 9605060100
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY
The traffic backup that Virginia State Police had predicted would follow the Tour DuPont's passing on U.S. 220 in Boones Mill turned out to be far shorter than the one-hour estimate.
The actual backup lasted only about 15 to 20 minutes, said 1st Sgt. Bobby Ratliff of the State Police, who was leading the race in the "10-minute car."
The 10-minute car precedes the racers by 10 minutes and is followed by the 5-minute car, which signals officers to halt traffic for the approaching entourage of bikers and support crews.
"I led the race through the county, and to my knowledge no one was inconvenienced for more than 15 to 20 minutes. Everything went very smoothly," Ratliff said.
The shorter-than-anticipated delay was attributed to moderate to light traffic on 220.
"People probably anticipated the delay and avoided 220 or just joined in with the several hundred spectators in Boones Mill," Ratliff said.
State police also said crowds were orderly.
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