THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603080224
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 122 lines
I attended the 5 p.m. Feb. 26 work session at Council Chambers concerning the Waterview Neighborhood Traffic Analysis discussion.
Our city manager and council members should be commended for their compassion and competence in attempting to resolve this 15-year controversy.
Also, traffic engineer Richard McDaniel should be commended for his traffic analysis presentation.
I hope to be in attendance on March 12 when residents will be given an opportunity to voice their concerns in this matter.
Hannah Phelps
Griffin Street
Feb. 29, 1996 Streets for playing?
Times do change.
As a child, many years ago, I was cautioned that the streets are dangerous, to be careful crossing, to look both ways and, above all, not to play in the streets.
Now, some 50 years later, my Waterview neighbors want the streets closed so their children can play in them?
I want to play, too, and I depend on people outside Waterview to pick me up. They now must ride the equivalent of an additional mile to do so - a distance I also must drive to get to my church. At night it can be precarious.
In addition, there are Waterview residents with serious health conditions whose life could depend on emergency equipment being able to get to them quickly.
I say open the streets and the causeway. Install speed bumps. Too many people now see Waterview as unfriendly.
June C. Cotton
Shenandoah Street
Feb. 28, 1996 Willing to swap
It's a shame that a few people have so much pull to tell our city government how to run our public streets. As for the causeway, I used to fish in that area, long before half of you were born. Leave it alone.
As for the lady on Peninsula Avenue, I sincerely hope the vibrations from the 18-wheeler don't break her china and crystal. I would be glad to trade homes. I have lived on King Street in Westhaven for three years and the vibrations caused by cars, trucks, school buses and other city vehicles hitting low spots in King Street wake my wife and me up at least two or three times a night. If we are able to sleep to 7 a.m., we are lucky. I sincerely believe King Street is going to sink in the near future.
The people in public office responsible for the closing of those streets could have put our money to better use.
Rufus C. Bagwell
King Street
March 4, 1996 Hooray for upliftification
I would like to congratulate Portsmouth on the resounding success of its new neighborhood upliftification program.
When Waterview residents complained about the through traffic using their streets, city officials tackled the problem head on.
Some thought it would be a good idea to close the causeway which probably dates back to the Civil War, which, in turn, makes one wonder how many of these complaining Waterview residents owned their homes before the causeway was built and through traffic in Waterview was a fact of life.
Some thought using police to ticket speeders was a viable solution, but it wouldn't stop the traffic flow itself.
Some lowlife, no doubt, living in shame, disowned by his family and disgraced professionally, probably offered the simple solution of installing ``no through traffic'' signs.
Finally, in rushes the neighborhood ``uglification'' committee realizing Waterview, one of Portsmouth's most charming neighborhoods, was the perfect place to prove its worth.
Throw up about half a million ``no right turn'' signs starting at the scenic Churchland Bridge and fronting the whole neighborhood and ``no left turn'' signs in the neighborhood and on the other side of High Street so not even the residents can get in or out. Then, take those ugly concrete traffic barriers they use to scare people to death on the interstates and line them up along High Street. Now, can anyone think of a way to justify cutting down most of the trees?
I recommend the committee go one step further. You could replace the concrete barriers with those huge dumpsters. This way, the residents can just take their trash to the dumpsters, saving the city money on trash collection in Waterview.
After all, it's a private neighborhood now, isn't it? It must be if the streets aren't open to the public.
Robert A. Spain
Yellow Pine Crescent
Chesapeake
March 3, 1996 Thanks for services
Portsmouth is to be commended for the excellent services provided by the Community Services Board for the mentally challenged. ``The Shop,'' ``Independent Workers Program,'' and the ``Recreational Activities Program'' are vital to these adults. Such programs provide an outlet and give real meaning to the lives of these young people. All of the programs are supervised by knowledgeable and caring people.
As a parent of one such individual, I can speak firsthand of the importance of the services to our family.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Branton
Colony Road
March 4, 1996 History trail a good idea
A history trail from the Naval Hospital to the Shipyard! What a great idea! Do it, don't sit on it.
Please remember, the Children's Museum is a success because it is fun. Children see classrooms, daily.
Don't make it too technical. That's why Nauticus is not a huge success. Keep the Children's Museum a fun place to return to often.
Peg Nourie
Riverside Drive
March 6, 1996 by CNB