THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 17, 1997 TAG: 9701160087
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: 72 lines
Here's an update most of us care about - the construction on Interstate 264, heading into or out of Norfolk.
Phase one, which is happening now, includes the tearing out of the old shoulder and installing a new shoulder, moving the light poles back and installing noise walls in selected areas.
This part of the project should be finished by early summer, June or July.
Once that part's finished, barriers will be placed on the inside of I-264, so work on building an additional HOV lane, both east and west bound, can commence. Once the lanes are there, a barrier with a median will be installed.
The project also includes the demolition and reconstruction of the overhead pedestrian crosswalk near Norfolk State University.
The second phase of the project should be finished by June 1998.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Howard Summers, no address given. In your last article you talked about using quarters to release carts. Someone said they did that in upstate New York. They also did it at BJ's a couple of years back. Messy and a pain in the neck. Got to be sure you have a quarter before you go shopping so you can get a cart. Don't like it. Just have people think about other people and put their carts back where they belong.
RW: Howard, this is not a perfect world and let's face it, most folks don't give a darn about anyone other than themselves. Translated, that means wake up, man, because not everyone is into brotherly love. Harsh as it may sound, we're living amongst self-centered creeps who have no respect for other people's property. And the dings and scratches on Road's own car and probably yours, too, are the proof.
Marsha, no address given. Regarding shopping carts - BJ's tried it for a while and they discontinued it. Maybe you can find out from them why they decided to discontinue the practice. I thought it was a pretty good idea.
RW: Apparently, you're right, Marsha. BJ's did try the deposit a quarter get a cart, return the cart, get your quarter back program, but apparently customers weren't thrilled with having to dig up a quarter for a cart even though the quarter was eventually returned. I'm sure if customers lobbied for the old way back, BJ's would oblige, but apparently no one's missed it.
Mike, no address given. I just read the letter from Steve about putting a light in front of VIRGINIA BEACH GENERAL HOSPITAL so he can make a left turn onto First Colonial. It makes me want to form a political action group - Citizens Against Needless Traffic Lights or something like that. My advice to Steve would be to go down to the light you were talking about or make a right out of the hospital and make a U-turn at Old Donation. Either way, leave the left turning to the people who can make it and forget about all these stupid traffic lights.
RW: Mike, you should have been a traffic engineer. Don't know why most folks seem to think a new light is the answer to getting places quicker. That's not always the case. Seems you're one of the few in the know.
Holly Morris, Windsor Woods. I realize that it's hard to change street lights when there's only one or two out, but on ROUTE 44, between WITCHDUCK and INDEPENDENCE, there are at least 15 lights out. In between INDEPENDENCE and ROSEMONT, I counted more than 35 lights out. It's getting a little dark and it's getting a little dangerous.
RW: Nothing personal, Holly, but you folks Road calls ``counters'' are a trip. Now, first, how in the world are you able to count lights that are out when you're doing 55 to 60 mph? We're not talking one or two lights, that's easy for anyone to spot. But 35? And then someone else called to say he counted like 50-something lights out.
That said, let's get to the heart of the issue. Consider this - all the interstate lights have sensors. Some of those sensors are more sensitive than others, meaning one or two will come on first and then a couple more and then a couple more, etc. If you've done this count at twilight that's probably why you've come up with so many outages. Now, if it's pitch-black in the dead of night, then we've really got some serious outages. Road's not saying we do or we don't. All Road knows is any lights that are out will be replaced. There will be light.