THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994 TAG: 9406230145
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Long
DATELINE: 940624 LENGTH:
Road went to one last week on the proposed improvements to Jeanne Street, from Constitution Drive to Independence Boulevard, and boy was it fun!
{REST} First, you get your very own engineer who will talk you through the proposed improvements and answer any questions you may have. There's an information booklet detailing the project's options, as well as a comment sheet you can complete later and mail or drop off.
The only things missing at this get-together were beer and food.
As for Jeanne Street, here are the three options being considered. If you're one of the 12,700 folks using this route daily, you may want to take note:
Option 1: To widen Jeanne Street with two 12-foot lanes in each direction, separated by a raised median, without turn lanes.
Using this option, the transportation department would have to acquire eight or nine properties on Jeanne Street and one on the corner of King George Road because the project calls for an additional 30 feet of right of way.
In other words, all the additional space for this option would come from homeowners on Jeanne Street. The homes and land would be purchased by the state and the owners would be relocated.
Total cost: about $2.4 million.
Option 2: This option would take most of the needed right of way from the Pembroke Mall parking lot, meaning the mall would lose about six dozen parking spaces.
Jeanne Street would have two 12-foot lanes in each direction, a 15-foot center lane for turns and no median.
This scenario could pose a problem for homeowners who would have a heck of a time backing out of their driveways to go anywhere.
Total cost: about $1.2 million.
Option 3: The least expensive and, perhaps, least offensive of the three proposals, calls for moving sidewalks about five feet on the homeowners' side, as well as taking a small strip from the mall parking lot to widen the road to two 12-feet lanes in each direction, with a narrowed turn lane of 13 feet and no median.
That way, homeowners would keep their homes (albeit the sidewalks would be closer) and Pembroke Mall would keep its parking spaces.
Total cost: about $987,342.
Residents have until Monday to respond in writing to the proposals.
Because the meetings are used to gauge the public's opinion, as well as that of the people most directly affected, ``Citizen involvement will help determine which option will be studied further,'' the department's information booklet says.
This meeting was just the first step in a long process. After all the viewpoints have been considered, a location and design public hearing will be scheduled for sometime in summer 1995. Construction would begin in the summer of 1997.
Now's the time to make your thoughts count, before the plans are set in stone.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Sam, The Neighborhood Cop. Hey, Road, replying to Walt Doherty's letter. He wrote in concerning the lack of action at Green Run High School and South Independence Boulevard. We're well aware of the problem down there. However, there are only two radar cars assigned to the precinct. We don't have any more radar units because the department will not buy them; they have to be bought through precinct funds.
A good suggestion for Mr. Doherty is to get involved with the citizens' advisory group at the Fourth Precinct and help raise money and maybe we can buy more radar units so we can go out there and catch these guys.
He's got three months to get it done before school starts again. Keep up the good work, Road.
RW: Touche', Sam.
Debbie, no address given. I was wanting further information on an answer you gave to a lady last week when she was having problems with people running her off the road. You said get license plate numbers. My problem is: What do you do with the license plate numbers once you get them?
RW: The woman, or question, you refer to is what can you do when you are walking and someone tries to run you off the road? The answer is get their license plate numbers.
If someone deliberately tries to hit you, run you over or whatever, that's malicious assault. Of course, if you're hit as a pedestrian in an accident, that's different.
In this case, though, you would get the license plate numbers, go home, call the police dispatcher, explain the circumstances and, if you choose, press charges.
Kay Vilander, North End. No complaints, Road Warrior, imagine that. I wanted to say thanks to everybody concerned because they've done such a good job on the Holly/ Laskin roads intersection.
RW: Wish Road could take some of the credit for the fast work but, alas, Road spends many a day in the cool comfort of an office, while the more rugged types are out there doing road construction.
Good job, guys.
Michelle McCannon, no address given. I commute both ways on 44, down to the Beach every day to work. And contrary to popular opinion, when the lanes narrow down to the three going across those bridges where they are doing road work, there is room for three cars to stay in their lanes without having to crunch into the middle lane, creating a serious traffic hazard.
I'd appreciate it if every other driver on the road would stay in their lane like I do. Maybe that'll keep my car a little bit safer.
RW: Good point, Michelle. Also, even though you may not see construction workers during the day as much as you do at night in that area, the $250 fine for exceeding the speed limit in a work zone is being enforced at all times.
Kenny Graham, Virginia Beach. I'm a truck driver. I drive a real BIG truck and when I honk my horn and flash my lights at people, they won't get out of my way and it's very frustrating. Will you please tell people, particularly the slowpokers, to stay out of the left-hand lane? It really bugs me.
RW: Kenny, it bugs Road, too. Anyone who drives the highways should know the Code of the Road and that is NEVER drive slow in the left lane. If you're driving slower than the car that comes up on your rear, move on over to the right lane. People do not appreciate a left-lane hugger who isn't going at least as fast as the rest of traffic.
Trust me, folks. People are serious about this left-lane rule. Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va. 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood. by CNB