THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409220157
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Road Warrior
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
South Plaza Trail, a residential road that runs from Virginia Beach Boulevard through the neighborhoods of Princess Anne Plaza and Windsor Woods and Windsor Oaks, is being extended from South Independence Boulevard through to Princess Anne Road.
The $1.7 million project, which started in May, includes construction of a two-lane undivided road. It runs through a hefty patch of woods and ends at an intersection on Princess Anne Road that already has an operational traffic signal.
The state project also includes two stormwater management basins (two pond-like bodies of water) at each end of the new road.
Workers so far have completed about 14 percent of the job, which should be done by the end of July 1995.
Road owes a thank you to Zane Gray, a construction project engineer, for helping us with the update.
Any other projects you're interested in gabbing about? Give Road a call.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Charlie, Lakeview Shores. I'd like to ask if there could be a pedestrian crossing put at the entrance of Sentara Bayside Hospital on Independence Boulevard? There have been some accidents and some people have been charged with jaywalking.
Although there is a bus stop on either side, people have been charged with getting off the bus and jaywalking.
Can something be done about a pedestrian walkway across that entrance?
RW: Folks charged with jaywalking? Man, that cop must have been bored. Anyway, Road called Carol Bowen, the woman in charge of stuff like this, and she says she'll send someone out to see if a pedestrian crossing there is a good idea. They have to factor in things like how close the nearest intersection is, how much traffic there is (pedestrians and vehicles) and the like.
Paula Hayek, No Address Given. Two things. First, I was wondering when they're going to open the section of Rosemont Road between Buckner Boulevard and Princess Anne Road?
Second, I was wondering who you call about street signs that are spelled incorrectly? At the corner of Belspring and Archdale, Belspring is spelled with two ``l's'' and it has one everywhere else.
Down in Pungo there's a sign for Gum Bridge Road that has ``Gumbridge'' as one word and it's two.
RW: As far as Road knows, Rosemont Road is open to traffic from Virginia Beach Boulevard to Landstown Road.
And as for those misspelled signs, the city's Traffic Operations Bureau at 427-7440 is the one to call. Road already reported these misspellings - and they are misspellings according to Road's ADC Street Map of Tidewater - but you may want to keep it in mind for future use.
Also, there is no ``Archdale'' in Road's map book, perhaps it is really Northvale you're speaking of?
Dan Sykes, No Address Given. Two things. I was wondering if you could look into these crow's-nest things that they're putting up on 44 and 264. They have one going up at 44 and 264, one at Newtown Road and one back toward Independence. They look like a crow's-nest on a ship. Find out what those things are.
Also, do you know if they're going to stripe Bonney Road? It's pretty dangerous up where Lynn Shores comes in because all the stripes are worn off and people are going to have a head-on collision there. Also around the curve at the greenhouse and where the garbage trucks come out of their little place there by the Omni Hotel, that's kind of bad there. In the rain, or in the darkness you can hardly see it.
RW: The crow's nests you speak of are actually HOV TV camera towers. They're about 50 feet tall and will be placed in half-mile increments throughout the HOV system. Cameras will be attached to the top of the poles.
As for Bonney Road, man, this is one of Road's major pet peeves. Try driving this road between 5 and 6 p.m. Folks haul butt and the only thing that's separating you from them is a faded white line. It's scary all right. And Road has asked this question once before. Road's trying to get up with Carol Bowen to find out what the answer to that question is. Stay tuned.
Kay, Virginia Beach. It seems as if when the road engineers designed the section of Princess Anne Road in front of Colonial Grove Memorial Park they could have made it possible to make a left-hand turn (into the cemetery).
The only way out is to go right, then make a U-turn.
I know that cemetery was there before Princess Anne Road was widened, but do you think there's anything that they might be able to do to make a cut across there so that when people come out of that cemetery they can make a left-hand turn without going through all these difficulties?
RW: There is a posted sign, ``no U-turn between 6 and 8 a.m.,'' because some people coming up Princess Anne, wanting to go left on Landstown, didn't have the patience to wait for the signal. So they head straight through the light and then try a U-turn right where four lanes of traffic eventually become one. It was a dangerous situation.
Anyhow, engineers are studying the feasibility of making a left-hand turn pocket right there where the sign currently is. That way folks will have room for a left U-turn and their rear ends won't be hanging out in the flow of traffic.
Your suggestion of a median break isn't feasible because it'd be way too close to the intersection of Princess Anne and Landstown.
Oh, well. We'll see what they come up with.
Scott, Oceanfront. I'm a student at TCC and I drive down Lynnhaven Parkway to turn left onto Rosemont Road to head into the back of TCC. The time that's given to turn left on a green arrow is about 10 seconds.
Can you see about getting that extended because it's no where near time to put your car in gear and go ahead and move. No more than two cars can get through.
Doing a great job, Mr. or Mrs., or whatever you are.
RW: The light has a permissive protected signal, which means you get a green arrow that turns into a circular green where you have to yield to oncoming traffic. Probably during peak hours, it's a bit difficult to move everyone out on the circular green. Therefore, everyone relies solely on the green arrow to make their turn.
Engineers said they'll put it on the list to check out to see if there's a possibility of changing the timing some. Remember, though, as with every intersection in this city, main street traffic takes first priority. 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. 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.
by CNB