THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 24, 1997 TAG: 9701230110
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THE ROAD WARRIOR
SOURCE: THE ROAD WARRIOR
LENGTH: 94 lines
A water and sewer project that began this week will close Salem Road for three months.
Phase one of the project to install water and sewer lines will close Salem Road until Feb. 24, between Elbow Road and Ware Neck Drive. Traffic will be detoured via South Independence Boulevard, Indian River and Elbow roads. Detour signs should already be posted advising of the new route.
Phase two of the project will close Salem Road for two months between Elbow Road and Highland Drive. No date for this closing has been determined.
Residential traffic on Salem Road will be maintained during both phases of construction. Elbow Road also will remain open to traffic during the construction on Salem Road.
If you need more information on what's happening, call 427-4171.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Walter Smith, I'm calling about REON DRIVE and PROVIDENCE ROAD. In the evening, cars coming down Reon trying to make a right turn on Providence are stymied by the traffic light there. It's impossible for cars making a left turn onto Providence from Reon to get through. We sat through five minutes of red light last night. And what causes this to be real unsafe are the drivers trying to short circuit the deal by cutting through the 7-Eleven and day-care center parking lots, putting those poor little children at the day-care center at risk.
If there is a way we can position a cop there and get the traffic division to look at that light and figure out why it's timed wrong that'd be great. It'd do a great service to this fine city of ours. Thanks.
RW: According to engineers, that signal could be doing funny things and warrants a second look as far as the amount of time for green and red. Now, remember, during peak times, like in the evening, maybe not all 10 cars will get through but nine will. Anyhow, engineers will check to be sure that the timing is working correctly. We'll see what they find.
John Davis, no address given. At the east entrance and exit into Pavilion, all the various lanes are marked in white, which normally indicates traffic going in one direction only. If they put a yellow line between the incoming and outgoing traffic it'll help stop a lot of the confusion. I see a lot of cars heading toward each other as they come in and out of there. Thank you.
RW: When it comes to parking lots in general, John, you have to throw out most of your conventional ideas on what color markings mean what. In parking lots, the lanes can be marked with any color because there are no real laws to follow. Most parking lot lines do tend to follow the white/yellow trend, but there's no law broken if they don't.
Also, those folks almost running into each other, we're talking about tourists right? Most locals know a two-way entrance when they see one.
Howard Summers, no address given. Thought you may be interested in a bill that's in the House right now, House Bill 2319, says it's going to be unlawful to block an intersection. If you get caught, you get fined $50, but it won't be counted as a moving violation.
Just thought you might be interested. Bye.
RW: We're always interested in new laws, Howard, and that one sounds like a good one. Rather than just targeting specific intersections, Road assumes that would mean all intersections. Wonder if it'll be added to the driver's manual? Let's hope it passes.
Wanda Fredericks, no address given. There was construction of an office on SOUTH KENTUCKY and BONNEY ROAD and when they were doing that they tore up all of South Kentucky and parts of some of the connecting roads.
Are there any plans to ever redo that? It's been awhile. Thanks a lot.
RW: Road happened along South Kentucky just the other day, Wanda, and you're right. The road's been torn up and patched all over. Road isn't sure that the new office was the only reason. In fact, you may notice many of the patches on South Kentucky lead up to homes that front the road. Could be that they were replacing aging sewer lines or improving drainage, which the area badly needs.
Road's trying to find out if there are plans to come back and repave the road. An answer will be forthcoming.
Jim, no address given. I have to agree with last week's comment from Holly Morris of Windsor Woods.
The lights on ROUTE 44 are unbelievable. I also counted areas where there's at least 50 percent of the lights out. I've called the Virginia Department of Transportation on a number of occasions and they tell me they're always going to get them fixed but we never get them replaced. It's time you did something about it. Thanks.
RW: There must be some weight to the light complaints because Road hasn't heard this much on one topic since we were trying to get South Military Highway completed.
Rest assured that Road is in contact with VDOT officials and they know about the reports and they're working to find out just how many lights we're talking about.
Margaret Geyser, no address given. I'm just reading your response about shopping carts and it sounds so bitter and so anti-humanistic . . . ``Everybody's a self-centered creep.'' I don't respect this part of you that comes across as bitter and kind of ugly toward the world. Soften up a bit. It's really worth it.
RW: Obviously, Margaret, you've never had your car damaged by a shopping cart that someone's left in a parking lot.