THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 2, 1995 TAG: 9505310176
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines
No tolls. No tolls. No tolls.
Road's gonna go out and take a ride on Route 44 and get off at every exit just to gloat about not having to pay a dime. There may be a price to pay later, in the form of some sort of new road tax, but for now, Road's gonna gloat with everyone else.
One thing Road wondered about the rescinded tolls is what's going to happen to the signaled exits now that no one has to stop to pay the dime?
And since we're spending big bucks on the Congestion Mitigation for Air Quality (CMAQ) timing project, is that going to all go to waste now that we'll have different traffic volumes breezing off the expressway?
CMAQ is the local signal retiming project that's hitting our major corridors and making them synchronized and coordinated with each other. So far, as part of CMAQ, almost 90 percent of some 21 different corridors have been retimed to be more efficient.
Road called the city's main man, or main engineer, John Herzke, and he says that for now, there are no plans to redo the signals already timed under CMAQ. Herzke says the city is taking a wait and see attitude. It makes some sense that traffic may back up a little because people aren't going to have to stop and throw silver before they proceed. But, there's no telling just how much a backup we're talking about if any at all.
But, until the problems actually arise, the city hasn't any plans to change any signal timings.
Road'll follow up on this topic in another couple of weeks to see how things are going and to see if those roads are still free flowing.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Tony Phillips, no address given. You know everybody's really ecstatic about this demise of the TOLL BOOTH. The way I see it is it looks like it's going to be nothing but one great big drag race. They never seem to realize that the toll booth was a deterrent to speeding. All I can say is, like the movie ``Poltergeist,'' they're going to come back.
RW: There have been a ton of predictions about the toll road's demise and what it'll all mean. The only thing we can really do is what engineers are doing and that is to sit tight and watch. Liked your movie reference, Tony.
Sue, Thalia. My complaint is at the intersection of VIRGINIA BEACH BOULEVARD and THALIA. One side or the other needs advance times on it.
The Thalia side needs an advance time because all the cars come at you and there's no organization. At the high school, they need an advance time for the buses coming out of the school.
I'd like for something to be done. I don't know if it can or not. Can you look into? Thanks.
RW: Thalia used to have an advance time, until the Boulevard was widened. When that happened it was determined that there were no severe turning problems, other than the fact that people have no idea what it means to yield on a circular green.
The case is still the same today. Engineers say giving Thalia an advance green won't solve the problem of people who don't yield. That plus a lot of traffic coming out of Thalia, on either side, is turning left and not going straight. There's not enough time in the signal's phasing to allow both left turns a green arrow. Sorry.
Len, Weaverville. The TIMBERLAKE and PRINCESS ANNE roads intersection. We need a left turn light there. You once told me, basically, good luck, and I know it's not your fault.
But my problem is coming down Old Princess Anne Road, getting onto Timberlake and turning onto Princess Anne in the mornings, at 7 or 7:30 a.m., they block the intersection. At least we need a sign there that says ``don't block the intersection.''
Timberlake is backed up through the neighborhood with traffic and no one will let me on to my street
RW: Road's favorite engineer has agreed to take a different route to work one day soon and drive by this area to see just how far things are backing up. Hope you're right, Len, otherwise Road owes the engineer a cup of java or a doughnut or two.
Chris Long, Bellamy. Coming from PROVIDENCE ROAD on EDWIN DRIVE and trying to turn left on PRINCESS ANNE, you have to do it illegally about 90 percent of the time.
Sometimes, even if you wait two or three lights, you still end up making an illegal turn. I think there's going to be a big accident, probably already has been. Thanks.
RW: Chris, by ``doing it illegally'' you must mean running a red light?
This is one of those cases where there's not enough room, nor enough time, for everyone.
Those making lefts off of Princess Anne onto Edwin have a protected green arrow that switches to a circular green.
There's only enough time allotted in the signal's phase to allow an advanced left turn on one road, which, in this case, is the main road, Princess Anne.
Did Road answer your question?
M.C. Aragona Village. I'm calling about BRINSON ARCH and CREPE MYRTLE Lane. You can not get across the road heading west from Brinson Arch without pulling into the middle of the street; the shrubbery is too high. Thank you.
RW: Engineers have put this intersection on the list of things to check to see if there's a view obstruction.
If there is, don't be surprised to see some pruning going on.
Michael McClean, North End. I just passed through 47th STREET and ATLANTIC AVENUE for, perhaps, the sixteen thousandth time in my life and have waited for a turn signal allowing people to turn onto 47th street.
The turn signal comes on with every light regardless of whether anyone is there to turn.
It's time to put an end to the advance green left turn signal at 47th Street and Atlantic Avenue. Thanks for your help.
RW: All traffic signals at the Oceanfront are on their summer timings. In this case, with two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes and no turn lanes in between, the signal's going to automatically phase for left turns. Whether someone intends to go left or not, those going straight in that lane will trip the light. The light gives the green arrow for those who may want to go left there because they'd never have a fighting change of getting across the two northbound lanes on a yield. 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