THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 18, 1994 TAG: 9411170187
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Road Warrior
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 119 lines
Have we had our fill of the Southeastern Expressway news this week? What about the news on the toll booth closing by Oct. 1, 1995?
Road would say that both issues have been covered with gusto.
Even Road ventured out to the meeting on the Southeastern Expressway Monday evening. The place was packed with citizens and transportation geeks in suits (no offense intended).
There were charts, videos, aerial photographs; you name it and the Virginia Department of Transportation provided it.
Obviously missing were the refreshments. Gee, everyone knows you don't throw a meeting and invite the whole city of Virginia Beach without providing something for folks to whet their whistles.
Road knows to bring the cooler next time. Anyway, we'll see what the consensus is about building the Southeastern Expressway once VDOT finishes its public hearing in Chesapeake.
As for the tolls, Road can only say, tsk tsk. Go ahead and take them off. We'll just pay for it in higher taxes later. And Road'll be the first to say, ``told you so,'' when the bill arrives.
Did you hear the story from the Associated Press about the guy in New York who made an illegal U-turn and when he got stopped to get ticketed, the officer found out the man was one of the most wanted traffic offenders in the city?
It took the officer almost two hours to print out a list of the man's traffic violations, which had already netted him 633 license suspensions.
The man, Leroy Linen, is currently jailed without bail. Guess that'll make his number of license suspensions go up to 634.
Speaking of U-turns. Road was severely chastised for lecturing on the right of way on U-turners having to do with Overman Drive and Kempsville Road. Road just assumed there was a signal there and that's what Road based the answer on. As several folks let me know, there is no signal there. Therefore, it's true that the U-turner must yield to everyone else. Everyone feel better now?
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
In reference to a call by Rick Larson of Lords Court who wanted to know about getting the city to erect a ``children at play'' sign or something like that in his neighborhood so speeders would be more careful. Road talked with engineers and found that they are in no way, shape or form interested in erecting such signs. They say that the signs are ambiguous, meaning that children are always at play, there are no certain times that they're not at play, and if it's a residential area people should naturally be on the lookout for children.
This type of sign would probably make parents feel more comfortably about letting their children play in the street, which isn't a smart thing to do, anyway.
And as for making your own sign, it's against the city ordinance to have a sign in your yard and you aren't allowed to erect one on the public right of way.
As for wildlife signs, like duck crossings, those signs are used to warn drivers that there could be people stopped ahead. It's to protect drivers, not the animals.
Lisa Pepper, no address given. I noticed you had a lot in your paper this week about the tolls. When I usually drive through the tolls, I usually give a dollar and pay for the next three people behind me and tell them to have a nice day.
One collector took my money and then took tickets from the people behind me. I was pretty ticked. I reported it, too, but haven't heard anything else.
I was wondering if maybe you're so chummy with the director of the toll, could you call and let me know what happened with this? Thanks, bye.
RW: You must be one of those people who do good deeds for the heck of it. Good for you. Anyway, Road called Neil Ogden and he said he'd need a date, time and the direction you were traveling to check on your complaint. He also mentioned that it could have been that the collector waited for drivers who were going to throw a quarter in and gave them the freebie, instead.
Either way, he's going to see what the deal is, or was.
Barry, no address given. I wanted to express my concern over the lack of lines on Bonney Road, between Rosemont and Independence.
I traverse the road quite often and have noticed in some areas on Bonney Road there are no lines at all.
Could you please get on Virginia Beach and get some line sprayers out there and fix that road! Thanks.
RW: Everyone seems to be jumping on this subject, Barry. The lines really are invisible, or as you say, in some cases not even there. Road saw some guys out painting a couple of lines last week. Lets hope they continue the streak. Bonney Road is on the list for new lines, but apparently that list is really, really long.
Ronald T. Rix, no address given. Can you tell me what the times are for the reversible HOV lanes on I 64 - when are they open to all vehicles, when do they operate in each direction?
RW: HOV reversible lanes on I 64 are between the Elizabeth River Twin bridges (now Roger C. Malbon bridges) and I 564. They are used for HOV traffic of two or more people from 5 to 8:30 a.m. westbound and from 3 to 6 p.m. eastbound. The pamphlet Road has says that, ``at most other times the lanes will open to all traffic.''
If you want a copy of the free ``HOV-2 Users' Guide,'' call VDOT at 1-804-925-2583 or TRT at 1-804-623-RIDE.
Debbie, no address given. When I take Virginia Beach Boulevard over to the Central Library, that left hand turn onto Stephany, the light is horrible when you go in the morning's for story time.
I sat there through three red lights and that's the normal occurrence.
Yet when I go in the afternoon, the light is long enough for eight and nine cars to go through at one time, in the morning three or four barely make it.
Thanks a lot.
RW: Road'll be happy to pass your concern on to engineers. Though they'll probably say that when the expected timing project comes through, those little glitches in the system will be fixed. 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