THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 15, 1995 TAG: 9512140137
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 114 lines
Hey, how about the new improved Independence Boulevard? Three pristine lanes of smooth asphalt on each side and a new speed limit of 45 mph that marks the end of construction.
There are still minor things to fix, like landscaping and lights, but other than that, the widening of Independence Boulevard Phase 4A has been finished.
In August, construction will start on Independence Boulevard Phase 4B at the intersection of Haygood Road and includes widening Independence to a six lane section and providing left and right turn lanes for each of the four sides at the intersection.
After Phase 4B is finished, there comes Phase 4C which will widen Independence to six lanes from the Haygood intersection to Pembroke Boulevard. At that point, ALL of Independence will have been widened and improved.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Tommy Davis, Pembroke Meadows/Shores. I'm calling on the same subject again. Turning left heading south onto INDEPENDENCE from PEMBROKE BOULEVARD the left lane has been remarked for one left turn lane and traffic heading straight.
The middle lane is for straight through only and the right lane is for right turns only.
It's causing a huge problem. Only half the people are going straight. Can't they at least have dual left turn lanes with an option to go straight? Or a left turn only lane and then the right lane straight and right turns?
Please help us out. Later, man.
RW: Engineers say from an efficiency standpoint a straight lane and left turn lane are the best way to go. However, that doesn't mean it's the best idea for every situation. Engineers are examining this area closely to see how the changes have affected folks or if they've been affected at all.
Susan Barnes, no address given. Just wondering about the new portion of INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD, between JEANNE STREET and PEMBROKE BOULEVARD. At night it's very dark and there are no street lights. Can you find out if they plan on installing street lights? Thank you. Bye.
RW: Sure, there'll be light, Susan. Lots of lights. The lights usually come after the construction is pretty much completed so they should be going up any time now.
Tom Holston, no address given. Just wanted to pass this on. While I was at a stoplight I looked over at a radar unit mounted on a police motorcycle and there was a very nice merry Christmas label stuck on the side of the radar unit. Thought that was pretty good for one of our finest to be in the Christmas spirit. Is this worth printing? Who knows. Maybe it'll get them a pay raise some day.
RW: Well, isn't that just peachy.
Brenda, no address given. I'm calling about the Farm Fresh that's across from TCC. There needs to be a stoplight. There's no way to get out of there when you've got traffic coming off PRINCESS ANNE ROAD and out of the Farm Fresh parking lot.
There's also a shrub so you can't see traffic that's turning off of Princess Anne. Thank you.
RW: Brenda, don't know if you've noticed or not but there is a traffic signal there. Of course, having the signal doesn't mean it's easy to get out of Farm Fresh during the peak times when right turners off Princess Anne onto Tiffany Lane tend to bog the system down. There's not much that can be done about that other than a ``no right turn on red'' sign and I'm sure the neighborhood folks wouldn't appreciate that at all.
Glenn, Virginia Beach. I read with interest the article about all the signs being knocked down and lying in the medians.
Can you name the top 10 places that it's most dangerous for a traffic sign to be on the median. Thank you much.
RW: 1. Virginia Beach. 2. Virginia Beach. 3. Virginia Beach. 4. Virginia Beach. 5. Virginia Beach. 6. Virginia Beach. 7. Virginia Beach. 8. Virginia Beach. 9. Virginia Beach. 10. Virginia Beach.
Chuck Wray, no address given. About the hexagons and wire loops. If you go out on ROUTE 44 or I-64, there are two sets of loops, one right after the other, in all lanes. Those wires will be hooked to computers and they're speed detectors. They're not to give tickets for speeding but if traffic slows down in that area it'll cause the computers to set off an alarm and they can look and see why they have a problem in that area and notify the proper authorities. Have a good day, bye.
RW: Right on, Chuck. Although the hexagons and diamonds Road was speaking of in earlier columns were actually the boxes that house the maze of wires for the Traffic Management System. Anyhow, the wires you speak of are in fact to monitor speed and congestion. Though one day, who knows, they could be used for enforcement, too. No doubt about it, we're coming of computer age in Hampton Roads.
Hilary, no address given. I'd like to get another obscene license plate off the road. It's ``DGY STYL.'' Get it? Woof woof. Bye.
RW: Yeah, Hilary, Road gets it and the owner registered to that plate will probably get it, too, when the Department of Motor Vehicles sends him a letter asking him to turn in that plate for another. Woof woof.
Kathy Miller, no address given. I think the city should go with the cameras at intersections to catch those running red lights.
I've never seen a city have so many people run red lights. I've lived in several areas and this has got to be the worst place I've ever seen. Thank you.
RW: Road and several co-workers were just discussing this issue. We figure that folks are just getting impatient and tired of waiting and tired of all the stop and go traffic signals offer.
It's true that the area is having a serious problem with this. When Road heads through a yellow light there are at least five people behind who Road knows had to have run the red. It's downright dangerous and cameras really wouldn't be a bad idea. They're cheaper and they don't lie (Not that cops do; it's more that it's hard to dispute a red light caught on video). 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