THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 23, 1995 TAG: 9506220171
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 129 lines
Construction is really booming around these parts. It always does when the weather's hot and everyone's trying to get to the Beach.
Anyway, Road got a recent update on the expansion of South Plaza Trail. Currently, the project is 87 percent complete and is scheduled to be finished in September. The road is an extension of the current South Plaza Trail and will be a two-lane (eventually four-lane) divided highway with two retention ponds (one at each end) and a bicycle path from Independence Boulevard to Princess Anne Road.
Another thing to note is that Holland Road is being milled (essentially stripped) and repaved.
Eastbound Holland Road from Shipps Corner Road to Landstown/Dam Neck should be finished by Saturday.
Milling and paving for the westbound lane on Holland Road from Landstown/Dam Neck to Shipps Corner Road will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. beginning Monday and wrapping up sometime Friday.
Pavement markings will be installed and completed during the first week of July.
Of course, this all hinges on good weather.
P.S. All Department of Motor Vehicle offices will be closed July 3 and 4 for Independence Day.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Monique, Bow Creek Boulevard. My complaint is the intersection of NORTH PLAZA TRAIL and VIRGINIA BEACH BOULEVARD. There are three lanes on the North Plaza Trail side: one to go to the left, the middle to go straight and the right lane either straight or right.
I find that more cars turn right than go straight, so why isn't the right lane for the right turns only?
And, in the opposite direction, is LITTLE NECK ROAD and it also has three lanes: the right one goes right, the middle one goes straight and the left one goes left. So why can't it be the same on the Plaza Trail side?
RW: Engineers say there's a possibility you could be right about this area. What they'll need to do is some kind of manual traffic count to see just how many people are using that right lane to go straight.
If they used a box, it wouldn't differentiate between those going straight and turning right.
Anyway, engineers say they'll go see if your idea is feasible.
Paula Hayek, Virginia Beach. I was just wondering if CMAQ has gone through LYNNHAVEN PARKWAY yet?
I still seem to get every traffic light between Salem Road and Lynnhaven Mall. Thank you.
RW: CMAQ has indeed hit Lynnhaven Parkway. The thing you have to realize is that Lynnhaven Parkway is a very long road. That means that the synchronization couldn't be done as a whole and was instead done in parts, or corridors. For instance, the lights are synchronized from Princess Anne Road to Independence, then from Primrose to Holland. Then it doesn't start again until Sherry Drive to North Lynnhaven Road.
Basically, that means you're not going to make it straight down Lynnhaven in one shot. You'll be stopped sporadically because the timings just couldn't be coordinated that distance.
Leonard Webster, Norfolk. My problem is with these Virginia Beach drivers. Do they take the same test that all of us in Virginia take?
No. 1. They tailgate.
No. 2. They do not use signal lights.
No. 3. They don't have any idea what a space cushion is.
No. 4. They have no idea what the line painted in the street is for because they are always on top of it. For instance, take Flobert and Providence Road. If you're turning right toward Homestead they put the line back a couple of feet and these idiots still come across the line there. The reason I say that is because I drive a school bus and have to make a right turn there and I have to make them back up.
I would like for you to get the city to put a sign up, ``Stop here on red.'' Thank you.
RW: We Americans, and not just Virginia Beach Americans, seem to think adding a sign here or there will be the answer to make folks drive right, be considerate and pay attention. It just ain't so.
Engineers swear the goal is to move traffic and not impede it. They also say a sign isn't necessary in this instance because people are probably just not paying attention, which likely means they wouldn't pay attention to another sign either.
Just keep moving 'em back if you have to.
I won't even debate the difference in Norfolk and Virginia Beach drivers. There isn't enough room here.
Robert Smith, Shady Oaks Drive. SHADY OAKS DRIVE is the only access to and from Shore Drive to the Aeries on the Bay subdivison.
There's a tendency for drivers to speed 45 to 50 mph down Shady Oaks going in and out of Aeries on the Bay. Shady Oaks is a 25 mph speed limit.
If a four-way stop sign was put at the intersection of Shady Oaks and Madison Avenue it would slow down the speeders. There's precedence for this on Lord Dunmore Drive in Kempsville. This is a tragedy waiting to happen. Thank you very much
RW: There are tragedies waiting to happen all over the city, Robert.
You're not alone in your vigil.
In reference to your concern, the city says that it's not into stopping traffic and that the best thing to do, rather than erect more stop signs, is to call your local precinct for beefed-up police enforcement.
People who speed that fast typically don't pay much attention to stop signs either.
The following wrote to Road:
There is an awful deep, dip-like hole across the road, just at the curve of Princess Anne Road in the Pungo section at the Purina sign for Malbon's Feed Store.
I wonder why it was not fixed, since recently the road was resurfaced.
I would like the city's Operations Department to check out the driving discomfort in that area. You are unable to avoid it, if there is approaching traffic.
Beth
Pleasant Ridge Road
RW: Dan Kiley, our city paving man, ventured out to Pungo to check out the ``dip'' and sure enough, he says there's a small recession in the pavement.
If it keeps sinking, the city will consider fixing it.
As for the road being resurfaced, it was, but not with asphalt. It was a slurry sealer that is used to seal cracks and such. It's not honest-to-goodness asphalt.
Your article about Independence Boulevard was to my interest since I travel on ``the Indy'' each day. In addition to the posted sign stating that Jericho Road will be closed, the astrophysicist in charge of the traffic signal sequencing is consistent with other intersections having self-inflicted traffic snarls. The rationale for a timer-controlled signal at the Jericho/Constitution intersection could only be for the purpose of enforcing the policy of our fair city to inhibit all vehicle movement on right of way thoroughfares. Case in point being the Independence Boulevard/Ewell Road intersection. Frequently, no traffic is waiting to get on the Indy, yet, the ``our fair city'' policy prevails.
D.P. Smith
Lakeview Shores by CNB