THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601120018
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
It is hard for me to believe that Virginia Beach City Council hired a consultant to advise it on the safety of Shore Drive. I have always been under the impression that we are already paying city employees to advise council on such matters.
I have lived in Virginia Beach near Shore Drive for more than 35 years and have traveled this stretch of road often. I consider it the safest and most-beautiful road we have in the city. I can't imagine spending $1 million to fix - What?
You reported 59 deaths on Shore Drive since 1977. I don't consider this a very high figure for a heavily traveled road over 18 years, especially when you have people driving after dark with their lights off; passengers grabbing steering wheels because they are disgruntled with their partner's driving; drivers falling asleep at the wheel; or just plain old negligence.
How will City Council fix this kind of behavior by cutting down 345 trees? Did the trees jump in front of these people?
Roads are as safe as the people who travel them want them to be. People have got to be responsible for their own actions. Just how safe can you build a road?
ERNEST A. SHAVER
Virginia Beach, Jan. 4, 1996 by CNB