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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 18, 1993                   TAG: 9303180555
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A13   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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COMPROMISE TO SAVE GAINSBORO

RECENTLY our class toured historic Gainsboro with resident and community leader Evelyn Bethel. We were astonished to see what the city's two proposed four-lane highways would do to Roanoke's oldest neighborhood. These roads would destroy several houses and push unwanted traffic onto smaller roads not built for heavy usage.

Perhaps a good compromise would be to create only one of the two roads. The city could then direct the money from the second one toward restoring that neighborhood. This would encourage development of the area.

If only one road is built, it would still provide the city with a road, but wouldn't create as much traffic out into residential areas. However, if both are built, this would increase roadside pollution, put residential families in danger, and destroy part of historic Gainsboro.

The city can get along without the two proposed roads, but can the people of Gainsboro get along with them?

BOBBY BURSEY\ Community School\ ROANOKE

Editor's note: This letter was also signed by five others.

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