THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 8, 1994 TAG: 9407070187
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 124 lines
Lots of folks are watching the construction on Landstown Road and praying for its finish. A good number of those folks are probably the merchants at the Farmers Market. They've had to endure a slow season because their customers had to practically move heaven and earth to get into the place to do business.
Anyway, the merchants hung on, and it looks like there is an end in sight. Landstown Road, a four-lane divided highway between Princess Anne Road and Holland Road, will probably be FINISHED the latter part of July.
The contractor is moving right along and has both lanes of traffic, one going each way, separated so that the guys can begin the finishing touches, like paving and striping.
The $6.5 million road originally was scheduled for completion in December 1993. Mother Nature has caused a good deal of the delay because the temperature wasn't conducive to laying pavement, etc.
Of course, now, with sweltering temps, the work is beginning to speed up.
ANOTHER NOTE: The Virginia State Police have issued a release saying that, beginning Aug. 1, they will no longer ``routinely investigate motor vehicle crashes that result in less than $1,000 property damage unless the crashes involve personal injury, death or hit-and-run.''
They've made the change in policy because they think that lots of manpower is being wasted on fender-benders when the officers would be of better use patrolling the roads.
The police note that ``with less than $1,000 in property damage charges are rarely placed by parties involved in minor crashes, evidence is often unavailable because vehicles have been removed from the scene, and the parties involved in relatively minor crashes frequently prefer no law enforcement action.''
Don't get these guys wrong, though. They'll still be checking out the sites and issuing tickets if need be. They'll also provide drivers with a list of things they'll need to get from each other, like insurance information.
And, of course, there are always exceptions to this policy. Like if your life is being threatened.
After that, though, they're out of there. SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Grant Stenger, no address given. I'm calling in reference to the Pleasure House/Shore Drive area. I was wondering what the city plans on doing about widening the road, or at least fixing the road. That area has a lot of traffic going through there in the evenings and the mornings and with the new post office on Pleasure House Road down by Thoroughgood the traffic has picked up even more.
I've lived in the area going on 12 to 14 years and there's been no major improvements down there as far as that road goes.
I was thinking maybe you could look into the situation and maybe we could get some action down there.
RW: There are improvements listed for this area on the Master Street and Highway Plan. It says that it will be a four-lane divided roadway with a bike path.
The only thing is, it's not listed on the Capital Improvement Program for the next six years. Road put in a call to the CIP folks to see what the deal is. Road'll let you know the answer as soon as I get it.
John Z, Virginia Beach. My comment is the correct answer to T.J. of Virginia Beach who complains regarding the backed-up lines at the toll booths because of police officers. It's the motorists who create the lines because they have to stop and fish for a dime for the toll they were otherwise going to run until they saw the officer.
RW: Good point, John. Road's also seen people try and back up to get back on the interstate to avoid these checkpoints. Of course, if people were law-abiding and not so dishonest, they wouldn't have to worry about it.
Sondra, no address given. I'm calling about the bike trail on southbound Pacific Avenue. It's a bike trail for maybe two or three blocks before you start seeing parking meters and horizontal lines across it, noting parking in the bike path. I'd like to know what Virginia Beach plans on doing about restoring the bike path there because it's kind of hard driving over cars.
RW: The reason the meters and lines are there is the bike trail switches over to the Boardwalk at 37th Street. There's a sign there pointing cyclists toward the Boardwalk. An alternate would be to take Sea Pines Road to 35th Street, take a right and then your first left on Arctic and ride on that street.
Harry Davis, no address given. I'd like to know when they're going to paint some lines on Bonney Road. They did that repaving at one part by the hotel, but, that road, there's no white lines on it from one end to the other and it's really bad driving it.
RW: Good concern, Harry. Road's often wondered why this road wasn't lined better and why there were no reflectors, especially since the two lanes each way aren't split by a median. Road called the folks in charge of laying the lines and they say they'll be more than happy to check out the road and possibly add it to the list of roads to be striped. That's if the road is in decent shape and not scheduled for paving. So, look for those lines within a month or so.
Patricia C., no address given. I'm concerned about jogging and bicycling on Elbow Road, between Indian River Road and Centerville Turnpike.
Elbow Road is a very narrow, winding road with ditches on either side and when a jogger or bicyclist is on the road, avoiding them requires driving on the other side of the road into oncoming traffic. And with so many curves, it's difficult to see a great distance ahead. I have come around corners only to encounter bicyclists riding side by side with nowhere for me to go.
This road is very convenient and time-saving for many of us. It was not made with a shoulder or a sidewalk, so there is no room to share the road with those seeking this type of recreation. Elbow Road has enough accidents as it is without adding the hazards of jogging or bicycling. I have lived other places where certain roads have signs prohibiting jogging and bicyling and I think that that would be a big benefit to this road.
RW: The only place bicyclists and joggers are restricted are the interstates. The city doesn't like to restrict people from things if they can help it. And in this case, most of Elbow Road is actually in Chesapeake.
So, the chances of such signage are pretty much zilch. What you say is true, though, and you'd think that the people who like to jog and bike would find a safer avenue. Road certainly wouldn't risk life and limb to travel this road on foot or two wheels. MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em off your
chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial ROAD
(7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again to
sign off.
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