THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610100140
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ROAD WARRIOR
LENGTH: 120 lines
Amazing how things never change.
Nearly 10 years ago when Road first became a sounding board for citizens on transportation issues, two areas of concern then are still areas of concern today.
Month after month, week after week, day after day (you get the drift) Road has fielded calls about two particular intersections - Princess Anne and Kempsville roads and Virginia Beach Boulevard and Rosemont Road.
What's wrong with this picture?
Road'll tell you. There has been very little done to improve either area and both are considered major intersections.
Between 1990 and 1992, the intersection of Kempsville and Princess Anne roads served 31,655 vehicles a day.
During the same time, the intersection of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Rosemont Road served an average of 79,469 vehicles a day.
Those numbers are nearly five years old now, so you can imagine how they've grown.
The Boulevard improved when the feeder roads were removed and it was widened to eight lanes several years back. However, the Boulevard widening didn't improve the situation at Rosemont Road.
Very little has been done to improve either area except in the case of Rosemont and Virginia Beach Boulevard where an additional lane, about two blocks long, was added southbound on Rosemont. This lane has done very little to alleviate the problem. Not to mention that the intersection hasn't been marked in years so no one can tell what lane is for what when heading westbound on the Boulevard and turning left onto Rosemont.
The problems are many. There's heavy turning traffic from the Boulevard onto Rosemont in both directions and with another signal at Bonney Road, traffic backs up in all three lanes, often leaving a few drivers in the middle of the road.
Also, because the ``skip marks'' that guide turns are barely visible, there's a lot of lane changing at the last minute.
I ask you, people, are you satisfied with this? Does this not irk you that it's been nearly 10 years and still we face a daily commute (or should we say standstill) through two intersections that are unsafe, over capacity and unchanged?
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Virginia, no address given. My comment comes from my young grandson who told me how he hated that many drivers don't use their turn signals. That surprised me since he doesn't drive. Then he explained that as a pedestrian he finds it very difficult to know when to cross a major intersection if drivers refuse to use their turn signals. I had never thought of it in this manner before and I realized the seriousness of issue. I just thought it was worth mentioning. From a pedestrian's point of view, it could be quiet serious if we fail to use our turn signals.
RW: You have a wise youngster there, Virginia. Let's hope he remembers that when he begins to drive.
The following wrote to Road:
Esther, Green Run. It's ``Esther'' again, writing about irresponsible drivers on DAHLIA DRIVE. I had a phone call from an officer at the 4th Precinct about this situation and he promised to do patrolling on Dahlia. That was several weeks ago, and I have yet to see a patrol car in the area.
I have done all I can to alert authorities about these menaces on the road. I guess it is OK to break all the traffic laws you can, threaten the lives of law-abiding citizens and get away with it! No wonder the roads are as bad as they are. No wonder society is as sick as it is.
RW: Esther, you're right, you've done all you can.
Rick Manolio, Virginia Beach. I am writing once again about the ROSEMONT ROAD/VIRGINIA BEACH BOULEVARD/ROUTE 44 intersection. While I understand that it is still being studied, two very simple solutions seem obvious. First, the pavement lane markers guiding the lanes turning left from the Boulevard onto Rosemont need to be painted. Second, the ``no turn on red 3 to 6 p.m.'' sign on the eastbound Boulevard and the arrow signs indicating where each lane's traffic must go approaching the Route 44 onramp should be mounted on the crossbars holding the traffic lights so that they are seen. There are too many ground pole signs there already, so these important ones are being missed. Please do whatever you can ASAP - there are numerous near-misses (near-hits?) there every day.
Robert Summerford, Virginia Beach. I didn't feel that your answer to Steven Thomas' question about adding a right turn lane at the intersection of PRINCESS ANNE and KEMPSVILLE roads was adequate. If you remember, about seven years ago, it might have been longer, the city did an exhaustive study, using both the opinions of citizens and an outside high-priced consultant to come up with a viable solution to that intersection.
The right turn idea that Steven mentioned was not received well by several businesses at that intersection, including the Chevron/Gulf station operated by a friend of mine, because it would take away vital land from the businesses. Another idea that these same businesses didn't like was a system of flyovers to move some traffic past the lights without stopping. This also would have taken land from some businesses, causing them to close. One idea not mentioned when all the discussion was going on, was to make all of the left turn lanes longer, especially the one at Witchduck Road, which is only about five cars long. Another possibility is to have double left turns. Several of the ideas already proposed by experts and citizens could make quite a difference when all are implemented. It is better to eat an apple in small bites than to swallow it whole, thus Steven may have the right idea; do the improvements a piece at a time as the land can be procured without putting somebody out of business.
If the city still feels obligated to spend $500,000 or so studying this intersection's problems and solutions, I really need the pin money, and can do about as good a job as some of the out-of-town ``consultants'' that have already scratched their heads and a few other spots over this intersection. I'd even promise to spend it in town.
RW: This is in response to both questions on Kempsville and Princess Anne and Rosemont and Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Until Road hears a new answer from engineers or there's an improvement scheduled, it'll be the same old song and dance to both questions about both areas. 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, Va. 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood. by CNB