THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411050093
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANCIE LATOUR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 384 lines
THE THREE-WAY race for the U.S. Senate seat may be what brings apathetic voters to the polls in Chesapeake on Tuesday, but further down on the ballot is a $76.9 million question whose impact will be much more immediate than the vote they cast for senator:
Shall the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, contract a debt and issue its street and highway bonds in the maximum amount of $76,900,000 . . . to undertake capital improvements for streets and highways, including . . . construction of new streets and highways, reconstruction and paving of existing streets and highways, right of way acquisition and construction of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bikeways, bridges and storm drainage facilities?
At $19 million more than the city's last school bond referendum in 1992, this year's bond issue is the highest the city has asked for in its 31-year history. With the interest on the debt that will accumulate over the next 20 years, the total cost of the bonds could run as high as $125 million, according to budget director Claude A. Wright.
The record-breaking cost to the city is not the only factor that could have generated organized opposition to the road projects, yet none has surfaced so far.
City officials themselves have acknowledged that many of 23 projects could be justified as roads the state should pay for.
``A lot of these projects could qualify as a state road,'' said Public Works city engineer Deral R. Stout, referring to the $6-8 million allocated to Chesapeake by the state annually under an urban road improvements program.
Committing local money to roads that could be state-funded was one factor in citizens' rejection of the 1985 referendum, in which city officials sought approval for $48.5 million in road projects.
But this time, some civic leaders say, Chesapeake can't afford to wait for state money to trickle in.
``Do you remember Atlantic Avenue?'' asked Lamont Simmons, head of the Chesapeake Forward and a member of the Road Bond Committee promoting passage of the bonds. ``The City Council asked the state to widen it in 1973. Now it's 1994, and it's just become a state project. We can't wait that long for Cedar Road. We need Cedar Road yesterday.''
Other committee members who feared the referendum would translate into a general vote of confidence in their government say the roads are too urgent to vote down.
``There can't be any question about it,'' said Joseph J. Jankowski, president of the Western Branch Council of Civic Leagues. His house on Meadowbrook Lane intersects with Pine Ridge Drive, where a train-activated warning system is being proposed at a railroad crossing.
``Trains come by here at all hours,'' Jankowski said, ``and without signalization it can be really dangerous, especially if kids are driving.''
Though Jankowski knows of no accidents at the crossing, he said he doesn't want to wait for a close call to become a fatality.
In pamphlets, interviews on the city's public cable television station and in public hearings, council members have gone to great lengths to convince voters the debt will not require them to raise taxes. The city is counting on new business, industry and subdivisions to generate enough revenue to pay back the bonds.
The city estimates the projects will take from two to four years to complete. The last set of road projects in 1986, worth $30 million, took about three years to complete.
If the referendum is passed, public hearings will be scheduled for each of these specific road sites between Public Works Department staff and residents who would be impacted by the project.
Following is a project-by-project synopsis of what money from the sale of the road bonds will be used for:
Site: Centerville Turnpike, Phase II
What is the problem now? This narrow, two-lane road, extending from Butts Station Road to the Virginia Beach city line, has one of the highest accident rates of any of the road projects on the referendum. Supporting more than one and a half times the traffic it was designed to carry, this 1.5-mile stretch has no shoulders and ditches as deep as 5 feet.
What is the proposed improvement? The city will acquire a right of way of 90 feet to create shoulders 10 to 12 feet wide on both sides and push back ditches.
How much will it cost? $4,312,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will allow room for cars, school buses and postal trucks to stop along the side of the road without obstructing the lane.
Site: Johnstown Road
What is the problem now? This four-mile stretch of the road from Parker to Benefit roads has no shoulders. In some sections, the ditches hug the road so closely that the asphalt from the last paving spilled down into them. The danger of driving into a ditch is exacerbated by the road's ``turtleback'' shape - slightly higher in the middle and lower at the edges.
What is the proposed improvement? The city will buy 90 feet of right of way to build shoulders and relocate the ditches.
How much will it cost? $8,635,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The shoulders will not only make it safer for vehicles by giving them more room, but improve safety for pedestrian and bicycle traffic as well.
Site: Camelot Boulevard
What is the problem now? This project will target the accident and congestion problems along Gilmerton Road. A narrow, two-lane road with a ``turtleback'' shape and no shoulders, Gilmerton Road is the only signalized intersection for Deep Creek residents to get in and out of their community.
What is the proposed improvement? To acquire 80 feet of right of way and expand two lanes to a four-lane divided highway from George Washington Highway to Deep Creek Boulevard. The two existing lanes, now in poor condition, will be repaved. A traffic signal will also be placed at Camelot Boulevard and George Washington Highway.
How much will it cost? $1,533,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will provide an alternative route to Gilmerton Road for residents of Camelot and Deep Creek, easing traffic jams at peak hours and decreasing the chance of accidents.
Site: Hanbury Road Interchange
What is the problem now? Congestion and resulting accidents are the major problem for residents in the cluster of developments at Etheridge Manor, who rely increasingly on Hanbury Road for access to the Great Bridge Bypass.
What is the proposed improvement? The project will build a two-lane overpass onto the bypass at the interchange with access ramps.
How much will it cost? $8,182,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will increase access to Hanbury Road and the bypass for residents living in those developments. In doing this, it should ease congestion on Mount Pleasant Road, now the major access to the bypass from many communities.
Site: Intersections of Eden Way/River Birch Run and Mount Pleasant Roads/Etheridge Manor Access
What is the problem now? With no traffic signal to regulate the flow of cars, drivers get impatient waiting to cross the street or turn, especially at peak hours. The Eden Way intersection averages nearly eight accidents a year from drivers taking risks on turns.
What is the proposed improvement? One traffic signal at each intersection.
How much will it cost? $600,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will direct the traffic flow more evenly and safely.
Site: Intersection at Centerville Turnpike and Land of Promise Road
What is the problem now? The sharp, left curve Centerville Turnpike takes at this intersection makes it hard to see oncoming traffic, sometimes until it's too late. With only two lanes, it is common for turning cars to hit mailboxes and other side-road objects. It is particularly dangerous because of the school bus stop located at that juncture.
What is the proposed improvement? The proposed realignment will flatten the curve.
How much will it cost? $1,494,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will improve visibility for oncoming traffic from both roads. It will also improve the intersection for the school bus.
Site: Centerville Turnpike, Phase I
What is the problem now? The area between Waterway Circle and Centerville Turnpike Bridge is now at three times its designed capacity. The road is becoming an increasingly important north-south artery in the eastern half of the city for commercial and residential traffic.
What is the proposed improvement? To acquire 90 feet of right of way, set back ditches and build shoulders.
How much will it cost? $894,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The shoulders will increase safety on the road for vehicles as well as pedestrians and bicycles.
Site: Battlefield Boulevard South
What is the problem now? One of the city's major north-south arteries, this road still has only two lanes in some sections, making it one of the most congested and accident-prone in the city. With no turn lanes from Johnstown Road to Hanbury Road, three cars making a left turn can back up traffic by 20 or 30 cars at peak hours.
What is the proposed improvement? To acquire 90 feet of right of way, relocate ditches, provide shoulders and add sidewalks on one or both sides of the road.
How much will it cost? $4,406,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will increase safety for cars as well as for children walking and biking to Great Bridge Middle School-North and Great Bridge Middle School-South.
Site: Southgate Overpass at Bainbridge Boulevard
What is the problem now? Because the bridge deck and beams have deteriorated, the overpass can no longer carry the standard weight for roadways set by the state. It has been officially restricted so vehicles carrying this legal weight cannot cross this bridge.
What is the proposed improvement? To replace the bridge deck and beams.
How much will it cost? $1,061,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The repairs will bring the overpass up to the current standard and restore it to legal loading requirements.
Site: Intersection at Cedar Road and Bells Mill Road (West End)
What is the problem now? At five accidents per year, this juncture has twice the number of accidents that would be expected for the amount of traffic it carries. Much of the danger comes from the acute angle where Bells Mill Road hooks onto Cedar Road from the left.
What is the proposed improvement? To realign Bells Mill Road and add a protected left-turn lane on Cedar Road.
How much will it cost? $474,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The added lane will make it safer for cars turning left onto Bells Mill Road. The realignment will make the curve flatter, improving the sight distance for traffic turning onto Cedar Road from Bells Mill Road.
Site: Mount Pleasant Road intersections at Butts Road Elementary School and Etheridge Road
What is the problem now? This stretch of road is carrying twice its designed capacity.
What is the proposed improvement? To provide a third lane for left turns at those intersections.
How much will it cost? $1,169,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will ease the backups caused by cars and school buses making left turns during peak hours.
Site: Mount Pleasant Road, Phase I
What is the problem now? At peak hours, traffic along the stretch from Battlefield Boulevard and the Great Bridge Bypass is already beyond capacity. Add to this parents turning into Great Bridge Intermediate to pick up kids for after-school sports: One left turn can back up 20 cars.
What is the proposed improvement? To acquire 115 feet of right of way for a four-lane divided roadway.
How much will it cost? $4,200,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will ease this peak-hour traffic, as well as target weekend and holiday backups.
Site: Intersection at Taylor Road and Bruce Road
What is the problem now? Eight accidents occur at this juncture each year, because the volume has exceeded the road's capacity.
What is the proposed improvement? Add left and right turn lanes at the intersection. The traffic signal heads for those new lanes will be modified accordingly.
How much will it cost? $390,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will better regulate traffic at the intersection and increase the road's capacity for cars, trucks and buses.
Site: Intersection at Western Branch, Collins and Churchland boulevards
What is the problem now? Now, Collins and Churchland boulevards meet at two different points on opposite sides of Western Branch Boulevard. That configuration and a lack of traffic signals makes for at least five accidents per year.
What is the proposed improvement? To realign the roads so that Collins and Churchland meet in one place where they intersect at Western Branch Boulevard, and place a traffic signal there.
How much will it cost? $310,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The realignment will solve the problem for cars trying to turn onto Western Branch from either road. The signal will regulate that traffic, not leaving it up to drivers to take their chances on a turn.
Site: Volvo Parkway
What is the problem now? This two-lane road carries twice the number of cars it was designed for. It is the only remaining section of Volvo Parkway with only two lanes.
What is the proposed improvement? To extend the road to a four-lane divided highway from Fairways Reach to Kempsville Road
How much will it cost? $2,300,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The repairs will relieve congestion and improve capacity on the road.
Site: Railroad crossings at Back Road, Beaver Dam Road, Bisco Street, Bruin Drive, Cascade Avenue, Cavalier Boulevard, Chesapeake Avenue, Industrial Avenue, Narrow Street, Peppercorn Drive, Pine Ridge Drive, Rogers Street, St. Brides Road and Strawberry Lane
What is the problem now? Each of these 14 railroad crossings has only crossbuck signs to alert cars. At many of the sites, bushes and trees obstruct the view of oncoming trains, forcing cars to move right up to the tracks to see.
What is the proposed improvement? Train-activated gates and/or red warning lights will be installed.
How much will it cost? $2,036,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? They will alert cars to oncoming trains before the train comes close to approaching that section of track.
Site: Indian River Road
What is the problem now? Between the Norfolk and Virginia Beach city lines, Indian River Road carries more than 30,000 vehicles per day.
What is the proposed improvement? The city has enough right of way to widen the road from four to six lanes.
How much will it cost? $3,100,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will ease congestion and make the number of lanes more continuous throughout Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.
Site: George Washington Highway
What is the problem now? This road carries almost twice the capacity it was designed for between Canal Drive and Military Highway.
What is the proposed improvement? To acquire 115 feet of right of way and widen the road to five lanes from two or three lanes. There will be one through-lane added in each direction and a center left-turn lane that will run continuously.
How much will it cost? $6,600,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will ease congestion for commuter traffic at peak hours, improving the road's safety.
Site: Canal Drive
What is the problem now? Only two lanes now run from George Washington Highway to Military Highway, clogging traffic at peak hours.
What is the proposed improvement? To widen the road to four lanes on right of way the city has already acquired.
How much will it cost? $3,000,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will relieve traffic at the intersection, especially during peak hours.
Site: Jordan Bridge
What is the problem now? The bridge has been closed to traffic since May 1994, eliminating a major route for South Norfolk residents and workers at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Norshipco. The demand for that route will intensify in 1996, when the Gilmerton Bridge is scheduled to close for repairs.
What is the proposed improvement? The rehabilitation will include replacing the deck on the lift span, repairing beams under the bridge, underwater repairs on the pilings supporting the bridge and mechanical repairs on the counterweight sheave - the pulley that supports the bridge's cables.
How much will it cost? $2,400,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? The repairs will extend the life of the bridge for another five years
Site: Cedar Road, Phases I, II, III
What is the problem now? Large sections of this major east-west corridor remain uneven in the number of lanes as well as presence of shoulders. The volume of traffic from Albemarle Drive to Dominion Boulevard is almost at twice the capacity it was designed for.
What is the proposed improvement? With the existing right of way the city has, it can widen the road to four lanes from two. With the extra lanes on Cedar Road, the city will then be able to add a second left-turn lane on Dominion Boulevard for traffic turning onto Cedar Road.
How much will it cost? $7,000,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will ease congestion and accidents along Cedar Road, especially the back-ups caused by vehicles turning left onto Cedar Road from Dominion Boulevard.
Site: Cedar Road, Phases IV, V
What is the problem now? This section of Cedar Road, between Dominion Boulevard and Route 17, is already at twice its capacity. Its narrow shoulders and deep ditches make it a tight squeeze for two buses or trucks, and leaves no room for cars to stop on the roadside.
What is the proposed improvement? To acquire 115 feet of right of way, push back the ditches and provide adequate shoulders.
How much will it cost? $12,600,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will create room for cars and mail trucks to stop and increase safety for pedestrians and bicycles as well.
Site: Georgetown Boulevard and Military Highway
What is the problem now? Congestion at this intersection, already beyond capacity, is caused mostly by traffic turning onto Military Highway from Georgetown Boulevard.
What is the proposed improvement? Installing a traffic signal at the intersection.
How much will it cost? $200,000
What will it accomplish? Will it fix the problem? It will regulate both turning and through-traffic vehicles. ILLUSTRATION: [Staff color cover photo - photographer unidentified]
[Traffic]
Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
George Washington Highway carries almost twice the capacity it was
designed for between Canal Drive and Military Highway.
Road work signs will be more common if the street and highway bonds
referendum passes.
ON THE BALLOT
On Tuesday's ballot in Chesapeake:
IN THE CITY
A $76.9 million local road bond referendum for street and highway
improvement.
IN THE STATE
A constitutional amendment to reopen and extend the statutory
time period for bringing civil lawsuits that involve intentional
injuries to children. The proposed amendment overrules the Supreme
Court's 1992 decision in Starnes v. Cayouette, which held that a
person could not be sued for past acts of abuse because the time
period for filing the lawsuit against him had expired.
A constitutional amendment to allow citizens to register to vote
by mail and to eliminate the requirement for canceling one's
registration if one has not voted in four years.
A constitutional amendment that provides (1) that bills passed by
the General Assembly will become law in all cases in which the
governor fails to act, (2) that the governor will be able to offer
only one set of amendments to any bill and (3) that the General
Assembly will have the option, in the case of vetoed bills, of
approving the original bill either during the session or at the
``veto'' session.
IN WASHINGTON
Senate
Incumbent Charles S. Robb (Democrat) vs. challengers Oliver L.
``Ollie'' North (Republican) and J. Marshall Coleman (independent).
Congress
Incumbent Norman Sisisky (Democrat) vs. challenger A. George
Sweet III (Republican).
FOR THE NEWS
Radio: WFOS-FM 88.7, the radio station of the Chesapeake Public
school system, will offer precinct reports throughout the day and
begin its complete coverage at 7 p.m., which will include local and
national results.
Television: WCTV-23, the city's cable station, will offer
periodic local and national results.
INFOLINE: Dial 640-5555 and then press 1111 for election
results.
Newspaper: In Wednesday's editions of The Virginian-Pilot and The
Ledger-Star. The Clipper will have additional election news,
including a precinct-by-precinct tally of the votes in its
Thursday/Friday edition.
Poll hours: 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
KEYWORDS: BOND REFERENDUM ELECTION by CNB