THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 31, 1995 TAG: 9503300152
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 118 lines
It's taken about seven years, but finally the dead end at Indian Lakes Boulevard, at Violet Bank Drive, is being built through 1,200 feet to the intersection of Churchill and Providence roads.
Construction started in February and includes a four-lane divided highway with a bikeway and a break in the pavement for those turning into the church and synagogue.
Another good thing about the project, other than it means all those folks who currently use Luke Drive as a cut-through to Providence will now be able to keep straight on Indian Lakes, is that at its intersection with Providence, there will be a traffic signal erected to control the traffic flow.
The project's cost is $2.1 million and should be completed sometime in November.
This is one of several projects listed on the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Its first appearance on the CIP was in 1987.
Hail! Hail! The good 'ol Capital Improvement Program.
If you're into public meetings, the Virginia Department of Transportation is holding a ``how to spend the money'' public meeting at 10 a.m. Monday at the Portsmouth campus of Tidewater Community College.
VDOT is looking for comments on what improvements need to be made in primary and urban roads, as well as comments on ride sharing and public transportation. In other words, you're invited to come and address the Commonwealth Transportation Board on almost any topic relating to transportation.
Topics dealing with Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach will be heard at 10:30 a.m.
Those planning to address the commission should arrive a half-hour early.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Doug McLiberty, Rolleston Drive. I'm calling in reference to LORD DUNMORE DRIVE in Fairfield. In the afternoon we have thousands of people cutting through because they can't get through the intersection of Kempsville and Princess Anne roads.
What's the possibility, on an experimental basis, of shutting down Lord Dunmore for a month? Only people complaining about this are people living here in the neighborhood. I think if we shut down the road, then we'll have thousands of people complaining to the city government and not just the people who are endangered here in Fairfield.
RW: Complaining to the city government about the congestion at the Kempsville and Princess Anne intersection? You may recall, there was a movement a few years back to have a flyover at that intersection because there is no room to expand it and it's been operating at its capacity for years. Apparently, there was some opposition because the project never happened.
Engineers say shutting down Lord Dunmore isn't going to help - that the real problem lies with the intersection of Princess Anne and Kempsville roads. Road suggests rallying behind your council person to bring the flyover idea back.
Tom, Virginia Beach. I agree that the ROUTE 44 flyover is the worst flyover in the whole state, it's terrible. Also, for Carol in Norfolk (who said that Virginia Beach roads are the worst), she's just a loon. Virginia Beach roads are much better. Just look at Virginia Beach Boulevard and you can tell which road is better. Thanks!
RW: No, thank you, Tom, for the views.
Andy Young, Linlier. This is about the lights on northbound FIRST COLONIAL ROAD, north of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Laskin Road. There's new pavement in at Wolfsnare and also at Southall but we still have to wait for the left turn arrows even if nobody's making a left-hand turn.
When are they going to get that together?
RW: Well, Andy, they're in the middle of ``getting it together'' right now.
Both of those left-turn signals have to be rebuilt, meaning they're on a clock (rather than supply and demand) right now. You see the newer pavement because engineers had to find out what the problem was there in the beginning.
It'll be a couple more months before those signals are completely rebuilt. Sorry.
Adam Green, Kempsville Lake. Take a cruise down GRAYSON ROAD and you'll find as you come up on Baxter Road, along the side of the road, you're going to start seeing the road disappear - it's starting to fall off into the ditch. We need to get someone to fix that. I'd appreciate that.
RW: Road is actually disappearing? Hmm, interesting. Road'll have to put in a call to Dan Kiley to see if he can get his crew out there to check it out.
Dan handles paving and Road assumes you're talking about the paving that's crumbling into the ditch? Anyway, that's what Road plans to tell Dan to look out for when they go out to check it. Thanks!
Bill Hopkins, Churchill Road. In reference to the school zones signs on KEMPSVILLE ROAD, I agree that people do not follow the 25 mph school zones. They act as if the lights aren't even there.
At the 4th Precinct they only have one active radar unit and more officers to work than they have units available.
I'm going to call my council person to see what they can do to get the police department to get more radar units available.
RW: That's exactly what police department fund-raisers are for - to provide the precincts with more equipment to help them do their jobs effectively.
And Bill, that isn't a bad idea about involving your council person, either.
R.L.A., Chesapeake Beach. I recommend that the engineers who say the light at PLEASURE HOUSE AND SHORE DRIVE is right on in the morning go for a refresher course. That light hasn't been correct for many years.
They just seem to have a thing about having the Shore Drive side green too long and the Pleasure House light too short.
RW: The reasoning behind the timing and giving Shore Drive more green time is that there is much much much more traffic to move on Shore Drive than there ever has been or will be on Pleasure House.
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, all major roadways in our city are designed to move traffic more efficiently through the use of green lights. 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