THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 8, 1996 TAG: 9603070173
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines
It's a slow week on the traffic trail, so let's revisit an old topic - The Southeastern Expressway.
Road's not sure whether folks realize it but in mid-February the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the South Alternative for the Southeastern Expressway.
The alternative extends from the proposed Oak Grove Connector in Chesapeake, south of Stumpy Lake, heading north along Oceana Boulevard and intersecting with Route 44. This chosen alternative was one of six proposals the board considered.
The chosen alternative will be a 20-mile project that will affect 177 residences with an estimated cost of $354 million. The 177 homes represents the smallest impact of all the proposals.
The wait now is to see if the federal government approves the final environmental impact statement sent by the board. There's no telling when a vote will come on that. After all, we're dealing with the feds here.
If the impact statement is approved, the design work and public hearings will begin.
Don't get excited yet, though, because no one knows where the money will come from to build the thing.
As for the Commonwealth Transportation Board, it's comprised of 16 folks who meet monthly in Richmond to decide on final approval for a lot of proposed projects throughout the state. The group also allocates funds for the approved projects.
Now we know who really holds the purse strings, the folks in Richmond.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
June (like the month), Lake Placid. I'm calling to help Denise who wrote in about the light coming out of LAKE PLACID onto LONDON BRIDGE. I was just sitting here thinking about calling you on this topic. The light used to trip fairly soon. Now you have to sit there and it seems like three full minutes before it ever trips. On weekends it used to trip as soon as you came to it but during the week, it didn't, which was fine. Now, you have to sit there forever and it's all day long now. I've been through there in the middle of the day and the morning, and if you don't catch that light you have to wait another three minutes for it to circle back around.
RW: Nothing like a little neighborly help. That's how things get done in this town from folks bonding together for change.
Anyway, enough of the pep talk. About your and Denise's concern.
Engineers made an adjustment to that light just this week. The light should be responding much better. They put the light on minimum recall, which means when London Bridge gets the green it'll only get it for as long as cars are there and then once a car comes up on the side street, the light should switch over faster.
Rebecca, North End. It's that time of the year again when we have the sand trucks, which is always difficult for those of us who live in this area. The problem is with that construction at 47th STREET the light hardly stays green and the trucks are speeding (to make it) and the sand's flying everywhere.
RW: Engineers are looking at this area because the construction, which is actually at 42nd Street, isn't scheduled to commence for some time yet. The construction is part of the Atlantic Avenue Beautification project in which they'll be constructing Atlantic Avenue to tie into Pacific, rather than merge into Pacific.
The problem is workers have had to taper the lanes from one to two heading south on Atlantic at 47th Street and so it may seem that the light isn't working as efficiently. But, the truth is, the light was designed for two lanes of traffic and not one. Anyhow, engineers are studying the situation to see if an adjustment is needed in this area while the construction is under way.
Rita, no address given. I've noticed that LANDSTOWN ROAD now has signs that say DAM NECK ROAD on the portion between HOLLAND ROAD and PRINCESS ANNE heading toward the amphitheater. Just thought people might want to know because one day it was Landstown and the next day it was Dam Neck.
RW: And tomorrow it could be No Man's Land.
Seriously, Rita. You're right. Landstown, or should we say Old Landstown, the section of road that intersected with Dam Neck and Holland has been changed to Dam Neck from the intersection up past the Farmers Market and across Princess Anne over to the park. Where the road curves left at Princess Anne, the name remains Landstown.
The following people wrote to Road. Some letters may be older than others because they're printed as space is available.
Lalita Kilber, College Park. I am hoping you are able to find an answer to this problem. It is concerning the light at the intersection of Providence Road and Lord Dunmore. Making a left turn onto Providence Road is impossible during ``rush hour'' and almost impossible any other time of the day. A normal green light will allow about four cars going straight to get through. But forget it if you are turning. Is there any possibility of getting a turn signal installed there? I think it will help the flow of traffic and eliminate the use of cuss words by people trying to turn.
RW: Adding another turn phase, or a protected green in this case, means taking time away from another green phase the light provides.
There are some plans to adjust the turning movements from a combination right turn lane and through lane with a left turn lane to a combination left and through and a separate right turn lane. Not sure if this will help your situation or not.
Jeannette Rowden, Bay Colony. The problem I wish to bring to your attention is a dip in the road at the corner of Ditchley Road and Bruton Road in Bay Colony. There is no sign whatsoever to warn motorists of this problem. Those of us who live here have no problem, but almost daily I cringe when I hear another car hit that dip and damage the underside badly, I'm sure. These are deep ruts in the new asphalt, which attest to the fact that a lot of cars are being damaged. Surely a sign should be possible.
RW: There may have been a sign there at one time. But, even if there wasn't, engineers are looking at the problem be and a sign may be feasible. 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