THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603130517
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Either way, the City Council was sure to go the wrong way up a one-way street.
The ``wrong way'' depended on the viewpoints of residents who argued a city proposal to reduce cut-through traffic in Waterview.
The proposal - finally killed by the council on Tuesday after several bitter tirades by residents - was to make a one-way street out of part of a causeway that connects Waterview and Westhaven.
The public hearing drew a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 200, and several speakers who harangued the council.
``Your narrow-minded actions forced upon the citizens of Portsmouth are an abuse of power . . . Waterview may prove to be your Waterloo,'' said Jack Nanney, an advocate of an open causeway.
Residents wanting an open causeway contended that the council would be showing favoritism to Waterview by making the traffic changes. The action not only would inconvenience commuters but set a precedent for limiting access to public streets paid for by all taxpayers, they said.
But the council also heard from Waterview residents who wanted the one-way causeway.
Daryl Beasley said cut-through motorists are endangering Waterview residents and damaging their quality of life.
Mike Ohmsen of Waterview said the streets are too dangerous for his child to bicycle and too noisy from motorists with blaring radios.
Councilman James T. Martin moved to deny the one-way street plan for the causeway. His motion, unanimously approved by the council, also will mean the removal by the end of the week of several temporary street barriers.
The action allows City Manager Ronald W. Massie to try less drastic solutions, such as more intersections controlled by four-way stop signs.
Many residents left angry.
Kevin Millar, of Waterview, said the traffic endangers his child and hurts property values.
He urged more police patrols in Waterview.
But Hunt Staples, another Waterview resident, said streets should be open to all taxpayers.
``If you start closing this neighborhood down,'' he asked, ``what's to keep other neighborhoods from closing down?'' by CNB