THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 18, 1996 TAG: 9607170135
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 33 lines
A foot makes a difference of about a half-mile and nearly 10 minutes for motorists detouring road construction near Driver.
Workmen are removing a 12-inch-high hump from Nansemond Parkway near Bennetts Pasture Road to level a former railroad crossing. The construction, which started July 8, is expected to be finished before fall classes begin at Nansemond River High School, just south of the site.
``We're in the process of cutting down the rise where the old railroad track was to improve sight distance and improve the ride-ability of the road,'' said MacFarland Neblett, Suffolk resident engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Until the construction is completed, traffic is being re-routed along Kings Highway and Bennetts Pasture Road. Although the detour is only about a half-mile longer than the direct route along Nansemond Parkway, the speed limit through Driver's commercial district is 35 miles an hour, so the drive takes about 10 minutes longer.
The project, which is being funded by VDOT, will cost about $180,000. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Workmen are removing a 12-inch-high hump from Nansemond Parkway near
Bennetts Pasture Road.
Until construction is completed, traffic is being rerouted along
Kings Highway and Bennetts Pasture Road.
KEYWORDS: ROAD CONSTRUCTION by CNB