DATE: Saturday, April 19, 1997              TAG: 9704190333

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS                  LENGTH:   49 lines

STREET GRATES IN KILL DEVIL HILLS JUST WAITING TO GRAB BICYCLE TIRES

Bicycle riding on three streets in Kill Devil Hills could stop pedalers right in their tracks.

Storm drain grates on 1st, 3rd and Helga streets, installed recently as part of a sidewalk and road improvement project, have wide spaces between the metal slats - wide enough to trap a bike tire.

Terry Gray, former Kill Devil Hills mayor, brought the matter to the attention of town officials earlier in the week.

At the least, he said, cones should be put on the grates. But he said Friday the problem has been ignored.

``Who's looking out for the safety of the town?'' asked Gray, who was voted out of office in 1995. ``There was no action taken to warn people of the safety hazard.''

Town Planning Director Greg Loy conceded the six or so grates were meant for highways, not residential roadways.

But he said the contractor has control of the right of way now, and the company has been notified of the problem. He agreed that orange highway cones, or some other warning device, would be appropriate.

Loy said he is not sure if the grates were installed temporarily until pedestrian-and bicycle-rated covers could be installed or if they were put in place by mistake.

Albemarle Engineering of Kill Devil Hills and RPC Contracting Inc. of Kitty Hawk are handling the roadway, drainage and sidewalk improvement project.

The work began in December and is scheduled to be completed within weeks.

The contractors from both companies were unavailable for comment Friday.

``The grates that are there are going to be replaced with the proper grates,'' Loy said.

Both Loy and Gray said they have not heard of any grate-related injuries, and Loy said he is not aware of complaints from anyone except Gray.

In the meantime, Loy said it makes sense for bikers to be careful, and if possible, avoid the three roads - or any other construction area.

Although Gray said the town should be commended for its roads and bike paths, he said it must take some preventive measures before something happens with the grates.

``Anybody can make a mistake,'' Gray said. ``But, golly, when it's pointed out, you need to say, `Whoops, we goofed.' And then correct it.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot

Former Mayor Terry Gray demonstrates how bicycle tires can drop into

the 2-inch-wide gaps in some Kill Devil Hills street grates.

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