THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 25, 1995 TAG: 9508240131
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Road Warrior
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines
If there's one thing that Road's noticed over the few years of doing this column, it's that the same intersections come up as problem spots for people week after week. Often, they're intersections with no hope for improvement. Or, so engineers say.
For example, there's Kempsville Road and Princess Anne Road or Virginia Beach Boulevard and Rosemont Road or Princess Anne Road and Edwin Drive.
Usually, when Road gets a question about why these areas can't be improved the answer is the same - there's nowhere to improve them, no room to add a lane or two because of the development.
Then there's the ``at capacity'' answer where there are just too many vehicles at the same place at the same time.
Road's been thinking about it and there should be something we can do about these problem spots. So, dear readers, Road's inviting you to make a nomination for the city's worst intersection and then offer up a solution to solve the problem.
All ideas are welcome, even the seemingly impossible. Let's see if we can't put our heads together and come up with a viable solution to some of this congestion.
Realize, of course, that even the best idea will probably be shot down as too costly by the city, but it'll be fun to dream.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Sandy, No Address Given. Regarding the letter from the widow on the driver's test, if she is military or her husband was military, she can still get a driver's license even though hers expired. You just have to keep going down to the DMV and pushing the issue. They have some kind of book with rules and things in it and it does state in there that if you're active military or a dependent and your ID expires Virginia is one of the states that will automatically renew it. Thank you.
RW: A couple of things, Sandy. First, the widow is retired military and was out of the country for medical reasons. That could change the policy you speak of real quick.
Also, Road tried to hunt this information down in the Virginia Department of Transportation's Drivers Manual and there's no clue about this type of exemption.
However, a spokesperson with DMV did call to confirm that in the Code of Virginia, if a person is active duty military out of state or country, they get a five year extension to renew their license, providing they can prove they were out of state or country while serving in the military.
The driver's manual does say that if you go to renew within two years of your license expiring, ``you will usually have to pass only the vision test, although any applicant may be required to retake all tests. If your driving record shows more than one moving violation in the past five years, you will also have to pass the knowledge test.''
Reed Woodruff, No Address Given. I've called you a few times in the past to give you a hard time but this time I'd like to give you an ``atta girl/guy.''
I noticed here in the paper today how you're gonna help this upset widow and I'm proud of you. That's what we should all be doing - looking to help people out.
RW: Amen, brother. Too bad the widow hasn't called back to accept the help.
Jan, Ocean Lakes. Two things: on DAM NECK ROAD as you're heading east towards the base if you want to make a right turn onto London Bridge, because of the stop bar, you can't see past the traffic to see the oncoming traffic.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I really think it needs to be moved.
Second: Check out the loop at LONDON BRIDGE and GENERAL BOOTH as you're going across into Redmill Farms. Twice I've sat on that loop waiting to go straight through and the light has completely missed me - it's had the left hand turners and straight throughs.
RW: You've said it before, Jan, and now you're saying it again and Road hears you. It's not easy to just go out and move a stop bar. There may be other circumstances involved in this. But, of course, Road will be happy to pass your concern on to engineers to see what they think of the idea.
As for the loops on London Bridge, you're correct in thinking that they're not right. A good deal of the loops on that road are bad and are being replaced. It's just going to take a while to get them all.
Ed, Virginia Beach. I'm just curious. Are there any plans to add roads to DAM NECK ROAD because all up and down there are places to go right but all you see is a barricade.
RW: It's a matter of forethought by planners, believe it or not.
They figure one day some rich developer will come through there and build some houses and when they do they'll already have access to Dam Neck Road.
Mark, Virginia Beach . Road, just wondering what's going on at LONDON BRIDGE and SHIPPS CORNER?
It looks like they're trying to build some type of overpass. Is this part of the realignment of London Bridge? Let me know. Thanks.
RW: Currently, there are no major road projects in this area so it must be a private development or business.
London Bridge will be realigned but that's still in the drafting stages and work is nowhere near ready to start.
Anybody got any ideas on this one?
Ernie, Foxfire. I wanted to see if you could do something about the left turn signal going from SOUTH INDEPENDENCE onto PRINCESS ANNE ROAD heading east toward the Courthouse.
That light only stays green for about eight to 10 seconds and only lets about eight to 10 cars through. The rest of the cars, being frustrated because it's such short time, go ahead and run through the light anyway and create a serious safety hazard. Could you see if the engineers could see about lengthening the light on that intersection? Thank you.
RW: Engineers say getting eight to 10 cars through on a cycle is a pretty good number. Of course, the dual left lanes there help.
One engineer specifically travels this route to work daily and says, that yes, if you're coming up on the light right as it changes, you won't get through, but you'll certainly catch the next round no problem.
Not everyone will get through on the green, but if they're waiting for two cycles or more, you can bet you have some sort of problem going out there.
Sounds like these drivers are just a bunch of impatient people late for work. And, Road'll caution that this is not an area where you'd want to be running a red light what with the police right down the road and all. MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em off your
chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial ROAD
(7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again to
sign off.
Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia
Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood.
by CNB