Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 15, 1990 TAG: 9006160427
SECTION: SMITH MOUNTAIN TIMES PAGE: SMT-1 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
From the south, the highway races sharply downhill for a quarter-mile before making a whiplash turn to the right and zipping across the narrow steel bridge.
Franklin County Supervisor Charles Ellis was coaxing his truck down the hill in a snowstorm several years ago when something caught his eye. A car had skidded off the road and into the creek. He helped pull a woman and her child to safety.
"This is one of the most dangerous roads around," said Ellis, who represents the Gills Creek District.
The Jeters Creek bridge on Virginia 676 - part of one of the most heavily traveled corridors from Roanoke to Smith Mountain Lake - is one of the region's state roads slated for improvement by 1996.
The state Department of Transportation also plans to widen the road leading to Smith Mountain Lake State Park, improve several sections of Hardy Road and improve a 1.5-mile stretch of Virginia 653, a major corridor from Stewartsville.
DOT's six-year plan for Bedford and Franklin includes more than $7 million for improvements to secondary roads at Smith Mountain Lake.
DOT also plans several major primary road improvements, including a bypass of the railroad tracks across Virginia 122 at Moneta.
Roads are a perennial complaint at Smith Mountain Lake as weekend traffic increases. Some of the narrow roads that were built for the farming communities that were there before the reservoir was created in the 1960s are ill-suited for present-day use.
Change is slow because competition for state highway money is fierce. Each year, the state Department of Transportation allocates about $2.8 million to Bedford County and about $1 million to Franklin County for secondary road improvements. Geographically, Smith Mountain Lake represents only a small portion of the surrounding counties. Supervisors try to sprinkle the money evenly throughout their respective counties.
"We're working on them as we get the money to do it," said Franklin County Supervisor Mike Brooks.
Here are the some of the secondary road improvements scheduled to begin or be in the bidding process on the Bedford County side of Smith Mountain Lake by July 1996:
A 3.0-mile stretch of Virginia 626 leading to Smith Mountain Lake State Park. Project extends from intersection of Virginia 608 to Virginia 656. $1.6 million. Bid date: September 1990.
A 3.85-mile stretch of Virginia 608 from White House southeast to Virginia 734. $800,000. Bid date: March 1991.
A 1.48-mile section of Virginia 653 from the entrance to Stone Manor Country Club to the dead end at Smith Mountain Lake. $150,000. Bid Date: December 1991.
A 2.5-mile stretch of Virginia 608, from Virginia 122 to Virginia 793. $600,000. Bid date: September 1995.
A 1.5-mile section of Virginia 653 from Goodview southeast to Virginia 655. $600,000. Bid date: July 1996.
Here are some of the secondary road improvements scheduled to start on the Franklin County side of the lake by June 1996:
A 1.7-mile stretch of Virginia 634 - Hardy Road - from Virginia 678 to Virginia 1535. $265,000. Completion date: July 1991.
A 2.20-mile stretch of Virginia 945 from Virginia 663 to dead end at Smith Mountain Lake. Road leads to Beacon Hill, Rockfish Bay and Chestnut Shoals subdivisions. $215,000. Completion date: September 1991.
A 1.8-mile stretch of Virginia 634 - Hardy Road - from Virginia 1535 to Virginia 804. $300,000. Completion date: December 1991.
A 0.43-mile stretch of Virginia 633, beginning at intersection with Virginia 635. $100,000. Completion date: December 1993.
A 1.25-mile stretch of Virginia 951, from Virginia 122 to dead end at Smith Mountain Lake. Road leads to Long Island Estates subdivision. $190,000. Completion date: October 1994.
A 1.611-mile stretch of Virginia 634 - Hardy Road - from Virginia 804 to Virginia 676. $300,000. Completion date: November 1995.
Jeters Creek Bridge and approaches on Virginia 676. $850,000. Completion date: December 1996.
Road improvements priorities are set by local Boards of Supervisors every two years.
by CNB