THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 26, 1995 TAG: 9501240115
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Their voices were unified in opposition.
At a recent public information meeting, about 125 residents of the Lafayette, Winona and Lakewood communities heatedly objected to a proposal to widen the intersection at Tidewater Drive and Cromwell Drive. They ridiculed the plan, called the Tidewater Drive project, as unneeded and unwanted.
Citizens expressed concerns to state and city transportation officials, insisting the project would make Willow Wood Drive a major thoroughfare to Granby Street and eliminate businesses around the intersection.
The plan would add a turn lane from Tidewater Drive onto Cromwell on both sides, and a median. Businesses and parking lots on the west side of Tidewater would be affected, including Economy Mufflers, Feather 'n' Fin, and the Open House Diner.
``You all don't care if you tear down businesses even if we don't need this thing ... there's no traffic problem here,'' Economy Mufflers employee Belinda Wachob cried.
David Ritter, a Lakewood resident, said:
``If it isn't broken, don't fix it. It's going to make Willow Wood a main artery and take away businesses. There's not enough traffic to warrant this.''
Carl Meredith, president of the Lafayette-Winona Civic League, drew vigorous applause from the crowd by saying that the real problem on Tidewater Drive is at the Little Creek intersection.
A petition against the project was circulated at the Jan. 18 meeting. One hundred new names were added to a list topping 800.
John Keifer, Norfolk public works director, led the city's presentation and was assisted by Para Jayasinghe, chief traffic engineer.
``We anticipate a growth from 40,000 cars a day now, to 55,000 in the next 10 to 20 years,'' Jayasinghe said. ``We can use traffic signals for now, but why wait until it breaks down?''
The crowd booed the transportation officials on several occasions.
``This is becoming adversarial,'' Keifer said. ``I'm personally ambivalent about this thing. Do you ever want to widen Tidewater Drive?''
A drowning ``No!'' was the response.
At a Jan. 19 Lakewood Civic League meeting, Mayor Paul D. Fraim said he thought the plan was finished:
``The project is in remission once again. I think that's the way City Council will feel about it, too. They've had reservations about it for a while. I believe it's a dead issue.''
The project dates to 1991, when it also was rejected by citizens. It had been on the back burner until the city decided to readdress the proposal. VDOT already has spent $775,000 on the preliminary study. The estimated total cost would be $4.2 million.
But the project isn't history yet, says C.A. Nash, district administrator for the Virginia Department of Transportation:
``We will be meeting with the city to determine the fate of this. ... No final decision has been made.'' by CNB