ROANOKE TIMES  
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, November 26, 1996             TAG: 9611260074
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO  
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG  
SOURCE: MARK CLOTHIER STAFF WRITER
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
      Published correction ran on Nov. 7, 1996.
         Approximately 55,000 vehicles pass through the intersection of U.S. 
      460 and Peppers Ferry Road in Christiansburg on a typical Friday. A 
      story in Tuesday's paper incorrectly referred to the figure as 55,000 
      people.
      

TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE PREDICTED FRIDAY

TO HANDLE THE EXPECTED 80,000 vehicles, some Christiansburg traffic lights might be set for as long as seven-minute intervals.

This Friday will be the biggest shopping day of the year, and Christiansburg has the New River Valley's only mall.

Add a Friday 2:30 p.m. kickoff for the biggest game in the history of Virginia Tech's rivalry with the University of Virginia and you get a big mess, traffic-wise.

Specifically, you get 80,000 vehicles passing through the intersection of U.S. 460 and Peppers Ferry Road - home to the New River Valley Mall.

It'll likely be the most cars ever on U.S. 460 in one day, officials at the state Department of Transportation said.

On a typical Friday, about 55,000 people pass through the intersection.

Tech students returning from their holiday break also will increase the number of cars. The university's dorms are closed for Thanksgiving break until 6 p.m. Friday, which means on-campus students who normally would walk to the game will be driving to it.

With 50,000 to 51,000 people expected for the game, those driving to Tech should plan to arrive in Blacksburg at least one hour before game time - some officials urge two hours.

Eager holiday shoppers headed toward the valley's shopping center can shop early and late, but should stay away from the mall intersection for the two hours before and after the game: 12:30 to 2:30 and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Despite the volume of cars, VDOT won't be doing anything differently for game day.

The standard plan turns U.S. 460 into a funnel, from Interstate 81 to Blacksburg, pouring traffic through the Christiansburg retail corridor and into the west side of Tech's campus.

Highway officials expect more than 90 percent of those coming into Blacksburg for the game will use I-81.

To smooth the flow, traffic signals will begin flashing along U.S. 460 about 11:30 a.m. at all intersections except Peppers Ferry Road. If traffic gets ugly sooner, the flashing can start earlier.

Also, the traffic signals at the Peppers Ferry Road intersection will stay green for U.S. 460 traffic for five minutes during peak traffic time; possibly as long as seven minutes if the traffic backs up on the U.S. 460 Bypass around Christiansburg. Typical green time is two minutes.

Dan Brugh, a resident engineer for the highway department, will keep tabs on the traffic crunch from a Virginia State Police helicopter. From there, he can phone instructions to the department's Salem office, which controls the traffic signals. Travelers can tune in to 1610 AM for any updates.

At Tech, traffic will be strictly controlled to allow only those with passes to reserved parking lots to drive parts of Washington Street and Southgate Drive.

Most fans will be steered into two general parking lots and some scattered parking areas on campus. At least eight shuttle buses will run to and from these general parking lots two hours before and after the game, "until there's no one left to shuttle," Brugh said.

LENGTH: Medium:   71 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  1. map - Virginia Tech Football Parking  color  STAFF 
          2. map and chart - Prices Fork Road.  color STAFF