THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 12, 1994 TAG: 9408110165
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
Man. Every time Road turns around there's another fax stuffed in my mailbox from the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Virginia Department of Transportation. These folks are firing off press releases one after another, which is cool because Road would rather know than not know, you know?
Anyway, rather than bore you with every single release, Road has picked a few that were of particular interest:
The Virginia Department of Transportation is on the goodwill trail again. They've scheduled a location and design public hearing to ``review and discuss'' the proposed improvements to Salem Road between 4 and 8 p.m. next Wednesday at Salem Elementary School, 3961 Salem Lakes Blvd.
The improvements, whatever they may be, include Salem Road, north of the intersection of Dewitt Way to just south of the intersection of Rock Lake Loop Road.
Apparently, VDOT isn't holding a formal presentation, there'll just be an audio/visual presentation explaining the project. The video will be run continuously. Road is going to check it out. You might want to consider it, too. Especially if you live in the area.
The Department of Motor Vehicles is keeping one step ahead of the lawless. They've come out with a new way to put a stop to fake IDs. Beginning with licenses issued this month, DMV is adding a special ghost image of the driver's photograph behind the demographic information on the card. Let me see if Road can explain this one - the card has one picture as well as other pertinent information, like address, age, etc. In addition to the one picture, there's a replica of the same picture, in hologram-like form, on the license. If the license is tampered with, the hologram image will appear ``fractured.'' Basically, you have to see it to believe it. Or understand it.
And, finally, (drum roll please. . . ) VDOT is now using ``brighter, longer lasting pavement markings.'' Yes, it's true and you heard it here first. VDOT is now using a higher reflective marking tape on limited access highways, including interstates and interstate-like roads. The other types of strips had to be replaced almost yearly. This tape is supposed to last at least six years.
Road doubts seriously that they'll go re-stripping all the roads immediately with this reflective stuff. What they'll likely do is replace the old strips as their time comes due.
Now, is that news you can use or what?
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Worth Banner, no address given (only Johnny Quest knows for sure). What's the story on these bridges, both east and westbound on 44, at about say Hilltop and the Lynnhaven area? They choke you down to 45 mph in very irregularly marked narrow lanes and I never see anybody working on it. Obviously they're planning on expanding it to the same width as the rest of the roadway, but I haven't seen anybody doing anything about it for months and months. Could you check with the highway department to see if they're planning more construction and when it should be completed.
RW: Actually, the work you speak of is not an expansion. VDOT is shaving about 1 1/2 inches off the decks of four bridges (two just east of Lynnhaven and two over Virginia Beach Boulevard) and recoating them with a latex concrete overlay. They're doing this to give the bridges about 15 more years of life.
Anyway, you don't see any work going on during the day because the majority of the work is being done at night. There's about 60 to 90 days of work still left to do.
Dale Parro, no address given. I have one complaint, right now anyway. Regarding the construction between Newtown Road and Independence, where they have the two left lanes closed on Route 44. I'm just wondering, why do they have the shoulder lane closed? I don't know what to say about that.
I'd also like to say something about people using their blinkers. Signal your intentions.
RW: Well, the shoulder lanes are kept closed (other than during peak hours) because traffic is not heavy enough to warrant it and everyone seems to be adjusting to using only the two lanes.
Granted, there is a back-up here and there, but nothing that would prompt officials to open that shoulder lane to normal traffic. Although, they do have that option should the road be overrun with vehicles. Remember though, that shoulder lanes are not the safest. What if someone breaks down?
The work you're speaking of, joint pavement repairs, will continue through this year until October or November and resume next April on the eastbound side. The westbound lanes were finished last year.
Again, this work is being done at night and the lanes are usually back open between noon and 1 p.m. every day.
Nancy Lamb, Virginia Beach.
I'm calling to complain about the speed limit on Culver Lane, off General Booth Boulevard. A while ago, it was changed from 25 mph to 35 mph. I'd like to know why. People are flying down the road now and this is a really densely populated neighborhood and kids are always walking or riding their bikes along the road and it's just dangerous.
I'm worried about it. I'd like to have the speed limit changed back to 25 mph. Can you help?
RW: According to engineers, Nancy, two speed studies were done in the area and it was noted that 85 percent of the drivers averaged about 38 on Culver Lane. That, coupled with the fact that Culver Lane is considered a residential collector road with no residential driveways fronting the street, prompted officials to raise the speed limit to 35 mph.
Engineers said that folks in Ocean Lakes and Upton Estates have thanked them for the change.
Mark, I got a couple things I'd like to ask you. First of all how do you feel about the majority of drivers who are completely ignoring traffic signals? Can't the police do anything about this? Perhaps set up some blocks or have a few cars at some of the busier intersections to arrest some of these offenders?
Also, I'd like your comment on the fact of the plantings along Dam Neck. How the city spent money to have a number of trees and bushes planted and then a few weeks later tore them all out.
I think that was an incredible waste of time and money and just wanted to see what you had to say.
RW: Idiots will be idiots, Mark. And any driver who ignores a traffic signal is a bona fide bozo in Road's book.
As for your vegetation concerns, it was a waste of manpower to plant and then dig those plants up. It was not, however, a major waste of money. The plant manufacturer is reimbursing the city because the plants were under warranty. 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