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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 3, 1994                   TAG: 9402030285
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

TOWN'S FAVORED ROUTE FOR INTERSTATE NOT EXACTLY SURPRISING

Joining virtually every other locality in Southwest Virginia, Christiansburg council members have finally had their say about what is becoming in these parts the most sought after of Holy Grails - Interstate 73.

Before reaching a consensus, though, council members had to examine each of the proposed routes for the interstate through this part of the state and figure out which they liked best. They saw that some suggestions would bring the interstate through communities to the east, and others to the west. And one in particular seems to aim right for the town that is nearest and dearest to these folks' hearts.

Aware that the road could be an economic boon to communities along its route, council members weighed their choices carefully. And then they voted.

And the winner was - cue, drum roll, envelope, please - you might have guessed it ... Christiansburg!

Yep, never mind that the town already has one interstate. They'd like another. The idea of bringing the road along U.S. 460 from West Virginia and then south to North Carolina along Virginia 8 sounds just fine to them.

That corridor seems to be "common sense," as Town Manager John Lemley put it, since the Mountain state wants the Interstate 73 to go through Bluefield and the Tarheel state has chosen Winston-Salem to host the road. Running it along U.S. 460 and Virginia 8 in Southwest Virginia would tie things together nicely.

And it would have a second effect, too, Council Member Wayne Booth noted.

Sometimes, he said, it seems that areas in the state west of Roanoke get short shrift from the powers that be in Richmond and elsewhere.

Bringing the road through the New River Valley would remind people that, as Booth said, "The west does exist."

The question then became, should Christiansburg pass a vague-sounding resolution like Montgomery County's, which simply advocates that the road pass through their county, or something more detailed, like Floyd County's, which specifies a corridor along Virginia 8?

Councilman Jack Via opened the bidding with the suggestion that council pass a resolution in favor of the interstate "coming this way."

Nobody disagreed with him, but that wording just didn't have the f\ tioompfo the other council members were looking for.

So Via tried again. How about a resolution stipulating that the road should follow U.S. 460 to Christiansburg, ``and then go down Route 8. Or up Route 8?"

Or "over Route 8," Mayor Harold Linkous offered.

Council members decided they would leave the fine details to Lemley. They agreed that the spirit of their resolution had taken shape.

Lemley promised that he and his staff would put the resolution into an elegantly specific form and send it off to the proper authorities forthwith.

by CNB