ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 24, 1997 TAG: 9703240098
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: A CUPPA JOE
SOURCE: JOE KENNEDY
When Bobbi Conner guided her wheelchair to the lectern at the recent public hearing of the Commonwealth Transportation Board in Salem, I thought about Harold Bowman.
Conner described the problems on U.S. 11/460 in Glenvar, where the road narrows from five lanes to three.
Rush hours are leaden. Gridlock occurs whenever a sinkhole or accident diverts traffic from Interstate 81.
Calmly, Conner asked for two more lanes.
Bowman has been fighting this battle with VDOT for four years, and not calmly, either. His petitions bear 1,700 signatures. He detests the meetings and thinks they are a sham. He's been to them, and he's not going back.
Conner was like sunshine. Bowman is like rain.
Area officials join residents
The hearing worked exactly as Bowman said it would. Ten board members sat behind a long table on a low stage and listened for hours as government officials and ordinary residents of the 12-county Salem district described their road construction needs.
The officials talked as long as they wanted.
The ordinary folk got five minutes each.
The board members said nothing.
A bunch of people from Martinsville and Henry County wore cardboard imitations of red, white and blue Interstate shields imprinted with their desire for construction of Interstate 73. They whooped and hollered whenever it was mentioned.
A group from Eagle Rock rose up in support of a new bridge across the James River to U.S. 220. Other people talked about the "smart" road, the widening of I-81 and other projects.
It was stimulating, in a once-in-a-lifetime way, but the folding chairs were hard on the back, and there was a lot of repetition.
Conner said the opening of the R.R. Donnelley book plant, the expansion of Kroger's warehouse operations and the commercial park at the Glenn-Mary Farm will make things worse out that way.
Now area officials are saying it, too. Several spoke up for the widening, and Fred Altizer, the Salem district engineer, says it probably will get onto the six-year plan.
Not everyone in Glenvar wants all this development, but Conner and Bowman, who joined forces last summer, are resigned to it. They just want it done right.
Sunshine and rain mix well
I spoke with them at the Glenvar library the other day.
Sure enough, she was sunshine, he was rain. But their strengths are complementary and their goals are the same.
A homemaker, Conner said she was "real hopeful" the work would be done.
"I'm not as hopeful as she is," growled Bowman, 69 and recently widowed. " I know how VDOT decides." By that he means politics.
The big difference is in their motivations.
Conner said she feels a responsibility to "do the best I can for the area I live in. My husband and I have raised five children. I'm concerned about where they grow up - that it's safe - and changes need to be made."
"I feel like it's my responsibility, too, the same as she does," Bowman said. "And if I'm going to criticize my government ... I should participate. I don't want any government representative or agency telling me what I want. They're there for me to tell them what I want."
I noted the difference in their approaches, and they quickly agreed with it. Bowman even said I could use the sweet-and-sour, sunshine-and-rain, light-and-darkness metaphor.
Conner, he said, is "the most positive person I've ever met."
As for himself, "I'm cold, hard-nosed and cynical, and I don't trust government."
Conner and I laughed at his ferocity. At that, Bowman smiled - I think.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB