THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 2, 1994 TAG: 9412010181
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 128 lines
Tidewater Regional Transit is getting in the holiday spirit this year by offering holiday trolley tours of Norfolk and Portsmouth. Why Virginia Beach isn't on the tour is beyond Road.
Anyway, the tours will run from Dec. 16 to 30 (except Dec. 24 and 25).
The Norfolk Naval Base holiday trolley tour departs every half-hour between 6 and 8 p.m from Waterside. The cost is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children under 12, seniors and those with disabilities. Highlights of this tour include downtown, historic areas and the illumination of ships at the Norfolk Naval Base.
Freemason Abbey, a Norfolk restaurant, is offering a dinner/tour package for $17 for adults and $11 for children. Call 622-3966.
The second tour, the Olde Towne holiday trolley, features the historic sites of Portsmouth. It leaves at 7 o'clock nightly from the parking lot of the Holiday Inn in downtown Portsmouth. Cost is $3.50 for adults, and $1.75 for children under 12, seniors and those with disabilities.
A dinner package is also available for this Portsmouth tour at Vic Zodda's Harborside Restaurant inside the Holiday Inn. The cost for dinner and the tour is $17 for adults and $5.75 for children.
You can make reservations by calling 393-2573, Ext. 7776.
Or to just make tour reservations you can call TRT at 640-6300.
Grab the eggnog and the kids (in that order) and let someone else do the driving for once.
SPEAKING OF TRT, they've added a new bus route, Route 27 Northampton Boulevard, from Military Circle to Lake Edward, Virginia Wesleyan College and businesses along Northampton. The service operates between 6:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. Its route will be from Military Circle along Virginia Beach Boulevard, and Newtown Road, through Lake Edward and Virginia Wesleyan and along Northampton to Pleasure House Road (and vice versa).
TRT is also extending Handi-Ride service for those with disabilities. Service will be added on Saturdays and Sundays in the Optional Service Area between 5:30 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. The Optional Service Area is served on a space-available basis.
Also, there was some talk of stopping Route 39 (along Princess Anne Road) at Tidewater Community College, rather than going on up to the Courthouse. That plan's been nixed and will continue its normal route from Princess Anne Road past Pembroke, past TCC and on to the Municipal Center.
If you need more information from TRT on these changes, call 640-6300. SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Joe Clark, Alexandria. This is not really a traffic question, but what can we do about all these ``boom'' cars driving around?
I understand it's against the law but it's not really enforced by the police. Is there something that maybe we can put a little stronger teeth into the law or ask the police to enforce a little bit more?
On any night of the week, 12:30 a.m., they come through here all hours and it's really irritating. Thanks a lot, guy. Have a good one.
RW: By ``boom'' cars, Road assumes you mean cars with loud stereos? There is a noise law, but it's hard to enforce. Residents do have the option of calling their local precinct for extra enforcement. The cop would have to hang around and wait for someone to come around the corner jamming.
Tommy Davis, Pembroke Meadows. The problem is the traffic light at the intersection of Independence and Pembroke boulevards. Coming out of Pembroke Meadows/Shores, heading southbound on Pembroke, which turns into Witchduck, the light takes forever. There's always a back up of eight or nine cars and you never make it through the light. I think the timing project or whatever it is needs to be notified of this big problem. Thanks, man, I read your section all the time.
RW: You can bet the timing project, CMAQ, will hit this area. It should take care of all of Independence Boulevard.
Mimi, no address given. I'd like to know why the people on Burton Station Road tend to tailgate, then they fly by you at 80 mph? I almost got into a three-car collision yesterday and I'd just like you to mention that people really shouldn't do that.
RW: People, you really shouldn't do that.
Jim McAllister, Salem Woods. The question I have is I-64 east, coming from the Naval Base, when you get up near Indian River Road they have all that construction going on and they have the concrete barricades and they're putting in a new lane in there. Well, that new lane's been poured for weeks now, do you know when they're going to remove those barriers? Thanks a lot.
RW: VDOT started removing the barriers to this lane last week. The one lane is finished, however, there's still one eastbound lane to go. But, that won't be fixed until next spring.
Until then, the barriers are coming down and people will be free to drive in that new lane.
Also, during this time (this week and next), VDOT is opening up the cloverleaf interchange at Indian River Road, east and west.
The temporary signals on Indian River Road will be dismantled and folks will be able to make the choice of two exits, rather than one, again.
Butch Woodruff, no address given. I was curious what the tower looking things on the interstate are?
RW: Once again, the tower ``things'' are HOV camera towers. They'll be holding the cameras that will monitor the HOV systems. Although no cameras have actually been installed, you'll see that the poles are being erected along 44, 64 and 264.
John Steiner, no address given. Road, I was just curious why the Commonwealth of Virginia uses concrete instead of asphalt for their roadways?
It seems like the maintenance on asphalt would be a heck of a lot less than concrete. Just curious, see if you can find out. Thanks.
RW: Concrete, although more expensive to build and repair, lasts longer. A concrete road has a life span of about 15 years; asphalt is only good for four to five years.
John Schaller, no address given. I was just wondering about the new traffic light they put on Indian River Road at Patient First. Doesn't seem like there's no timing to it and there's no traffic coming out of there.
It just seems like every intersection on Indian River Road they put a stop light. Traffic's still not moving even though it's three lanes they're building. Thank you.
RW: Do you mean the new signal at Thompkins Lane? Or the new signal at Lake James Drive?
Anytime they add a signal it's to move traffic more efficiently. Since the access to Indian River Road eastbound was cut at Strickland Boulevard, people needed another way to get out of the neighborhood. Same goes for the Lake James light at the shopping center.
These lights will be retimed with the CMAQ timing project. They're not on a a schedule now because of all the construction. 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.
by CNB