ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609230043
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
The Virginia General Assembly might be asked to help get a traffic light for a busy intersection on Virginia 419 at the entrance to Hidden Valley Junior High School.
If all else fails, Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said this week he is considering introducing a bill that would qualify the intersection for a light.
Roanoke County school officials say the intersection is hazardous, particularly after school dances and other nighttime activities when there is no traffic officer on duty.
"Hopefully, we can work out an agreement with the Department of Transportation for a light, but if we can't, you could redefine the regulations so the intersection would be eligible for a light," said Griffith, who represents the area where the intersection is located.
"You don't want to bring out the big guns unless you have to, but you could draft legislation so a light could be installed there," Griffith said.
He said a bill could be drawn so it would apply only to the Hidden Valley intersection and would not have statewide implications. Still, this would require approval by a majority of legislators, he said.
VDOT has rejected requests for a signal at Hidden Valley School Road and Virginia 419, saying the intersection doesn't have enough traffic volume.
The county school was built in the 1970s and is located in an area that was annexed by Roanoke in 1976. The annexation court allowed the county to keep the school.
County school officials have proposed opening Mount Holland Drive, a rear entrance to the school, but neighborhood residents have objected. There is a gate across Mount Holland Drive, which leads to the school. The residents don't want school traffic routed past their houses.
City Council has begun the process of closing the street, but the Planning Commission has delayed action on the issue until December.
County School Superintendent Deanna Gordon asked for a 60-day delay, and City Manager Bob Herbert referred her request to the commission.
Marty Robison, Roanoke County assistant superintendent, said Friday that county officials are gathering more information on traffic flows in the neighborhood and need time to review it.
At a hearing this week, several residents near the school urged the city to close the street permanently, but the commission tabled the proposal.
Jeff Echols, VDOT resident engineer, said Friday there has been no change in the agency's position on the request for a traffic light.
"At this point, we have seen nothing to indicate any change [in the situation] since we did a study earlier this year," Echols said.
Highway engineers evaluate about a dozen factors in deciding whether an intersection qualifies for a signal, including the traffic volume from side streets such as Hidden Valley School Road.
Echols said the regulations require the traffic volume from side streets to average at least 150 vehicles an hour for eight hours. The school road does not meet that requirement.
Most of the traffic to the school is concentrated during two to three hours in the morning and afternoon with few vehicles during the day, he said. The traffic volume on 419 is also lower at night when dances and other activities at the school are held, he said.
Echols said there have been requests for signals at several other intersections on 419, but they don't meet the requirements, either.
"Installing signals has pros and cons," he said, noting they affect the traffic on main thoroughfares. "Putting up a light for a dance on Friday night could affect traffic on 419 for 365 days a year."
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