THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 4, 1994 TAG: 9408040618
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WHALEHEAD BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Whalehead Beach motorists soon will have to drive slower and stop more frequently in one of Currituck County's more popular communities.
North Carolina Department of Transportation officials agreed Wednesday to lower the speed limit along the subdivision's three main streets to 25 mph. The reduction along Corolla, Whalehead and Lighthouse streets should take effect in four to six weeks.
Four-way stop signs will be placed at some intersections along the three-mile routes to help curb speeding in the residential area.
The changes are the result of a meeting Wednesday in Corolla between a dozen Whalehead property owners, four Currituck County officials and four DOT engineers.
``We don't want to put barricades up, but we want to keep it safe,'' said Ralph Webster, president of the Whalehead Property Owners Association.
``We're trying to create a situation where it's safe to bring your kids to the beach,'' he said.
The meeting was prompted by a car crash last month that killed a 16-year-old Pennsylvania girl and injured several others. The accident occurred where a stop sign was missing at the intersection of Whalehead and Sailfish roads. Police said the driver who struck the girl's car was traveling 45 mph in a 35 mph speed zone.
Stolen street signs have become popular souvenirs and a real problem for the area, County Manager Bill Richardson said. ``Wild horse crossing signs are at a premium.''
Whalehead Beach is one of the residential subdivisions in Currituck County that provides public beach accesses. The 858-lot development's private and state-maintained streets teem with tourists who walk, jog, cycle and skate during the summer.
Whalehead property owners do not want to restrict any of those activities.
``We are a unique residential development in that we are a resort area, and the reason people come here is to do those things,'' said Margaret Dyer, a year-round Whalehead resident.
The Whalehead Property Owners Association suggested several ways for DOT and county officials to make its community safer for both residents and visitors.
Reduce the speed limit and erect more stop signs, as promised by DOT officials on Wednesday. This should discourage travelers who have come to use Corolla Drive as a convenient bypass for the curvy N.C. 12, Webster said.
Close off some of the private roadways to further eliminate through traffic.
Maintain N.C. 12, also known as Ocean Trail, to keep traffic from ``dumping'' onto Corolla Drive, particularly during wet weather. DOT officials said they plan to install pipes and ditches for better drainage during storms after this summer.
Build a bike path on either Lighthouse Drive, next to the oceanfront, or along N.C. 12. This would reduce the possibility of cars hitting people, particularly children.
Stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, such as speed limits and no parking zones.
Sgt. Ken Kuykendall, a supervisor with the Currituck County Sheriff's Department, said deputies who patrol the area cannot always be on hand to ticket violators.
The department now has five deputies assigned to the county's Outer Banks, but only one person is on duty at any given time, he said.
Following the two-hour meeting, Webster, of Silver Spring, Md., said he was happy with the results.
``It was a great start,'' he said. ``Now we'll wait until we see what the finish is.''
KEYWORDS: TRAFFIC NORTH CAROLINA STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
by CNB