THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 29, 1994 TAG: 9407280197
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 122 lines
Well, Road did it. Road got into a city vehicle with Dan Kiley, a construction inspector supervisor with our fair city.
Among a zillion other things, Dan's in charge of paving - our main concern on this day - and the contractors hired to fulfill the job.
Dan and Road drove around for about four hours last week. Road asked the questions, Dan gave the answers. A few of the questions came from readers. Here's some of what Road learned:
Pat from Virginia Beach asked that we check out Holland Road, between Landstown and Princess Anne. Pat said that the road ``hasn't been paved in years and it's like a roller coaster.''
Dan says that the road won't be paved until the completion of an upcoming sewer project (scheduled for this year) from the courthouse toward Kellam High School.
Another reader called to say that Central Drive, an industrial area off Lynnhaven Parkway, was recently paved and the job was terrible. Road and Dan checked it out, even though the road isn't city property.
It belongs to the person who owns the industrial park and he or she is the one who contracted for the paving job (meaning the city had nothing to do with it). Anyway, Dan and Road took the four-wheeler out and found that the road was actually decent with no major holes or shifts in the asphalt.
Larry Lamark on Northgate Drive called to ask Road and Dan to check out his neighborhood. It seems it was paved last year, but Larry was wondering why the pavers didn't go ahead and sweep the asphalt up to the driveways, making a ramp of sorts for each residence.
Dan says that years ago, this was common practice. This type of work was done as a perk for residents (they don't have to drive up bumps to get into their driveways). The bad news is that the money for such perks has run out and the city is no longer offering this type of service with the paving jobs. Guess Larry's neighborhood was probably one of the first that didn't get the ramps. Sorry, Larry.
Two callers, Crystal and Carla, called about the Thalia Wayside townhouse area, saying it was paved early this summer but that the job was ``paved horribly.''
Turns out that this area wasn't paved earlier this summer, it was patched in preparation for paving. It's scheduled to be completely paved within the next six months or so.
Dan and his folks don't just pick a street to be paved. Tests are done (such as deflection testing, which measures the flexibility of the road by using a laser) before a street is even considered for paving. Once the need is determined, the streets are prioritized and put on a schedule.
As for Dan, he's a nice guy and a Beach native who has a stake in what goes on in this city. After all, he lives here, too.
Thanks for the ride, Dan.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Ed Stubblefield. No address given. Have to apologize about calling you a few weeks ago about the right-turn green signals on red. At the time there was none of them around that I could see so I called you and kind of egged you out for talking about right-turn green signs and by golly now they're all over the area.
I have to apologize to you, Road, you're a good man.
RW: Yeah, Ed, Road tries to be decent most of the time. No apology necessary in this case, though, Road didn't take offense. Road's been called worse.
B-Cat Graham, Virginia Beach. I drive a real big truck, just like my brother, Kenny.
I have well over a million accident free miles driving commercially. Actually, I've never been involved in an accident in my life and Kenny is right behind me in that category. In response to Jerry Cohen at Hoffman Beverage: Either one of us is well qualified to teach a National Safety Council course. Apparently somebody put my brother's name on that letter and sent it in to you as a joke. Ha ha.
Our sister drives an ambulance for the Virginia Beach Volunteer Fire Department, so we're nothing but good drivers in our family.
Always read your column. Unfortunately, I'm moving back to Norfolk. I'm going to have to beg, borrow and steal to get The Beacon to keep up with you.
RW: Gee, B-Cat. You'll have to tell Kenny that Road's sorry for the mix-up. Maybe there's another Kenny Graham out there?
Deanna, Virginia Beach. In response to Kenny Graham. Yes, Kenny and Road, it has been the code of the road to never drive slow in the left lane. I agree, that the codes, which are courtesy codes, should be followed by all drivers like moving into the left lane for vehicles entering the main road. How many drivers follow this code?
If a vehicle is going below the speed limit and is traveling in the left lane, then the vehicle should move over. If the vehicle is traveling the speed limit or five miles over, why should the vehicle move over to allow a vehicle going well over the posted speed limit to speed past?
Why condone breaking the speed limit, Road? Yes, you say it prevents accidents by letting the irritated speeder go by but why, always, does the person abiding by the rules have to get out of the way? Thank you.
RW: Good point, Deanna.
One clarification, though, Road does not condone speeding of any kind.
Leon Dean, Garrison Place. After the city finishes digging up almost every street in the Plaza area is it too much to hope that all these streets will be resurfaced?
The whole area's a bit of a disgrace and the city should be the first to keep up appearances in all neighborhoods.
As a side comment, I've also noted that the intersection of Silina Drive and Old Lynnhaven Road is the only intersection within five miles in either direction, that still has the old string street lights, via poles.
Are we orphans here or what? Bye.
RW: I'm sure you're not the only resident wondering about your ``orphan'' status out there, Leon. Things have been rather messy since they started the sewer project last year. Good news, though. The project is due to be finished in August, meaning that the paving folks will come shortly after. That doesn't mean every street will be paved, but seeing as the project encompassed some 50 or so streets, it's likely that the majority will be paved.
And, as for that old-fashioned signal, word is that the signal won't be changed for at least two years, maybe more. Now, if it's not operational, that's a different problem altogether. 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