THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, March 26, 1996 TAG: 9603260316
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
The City Council is slated to decide today whether to build three long-promised road projects or the even-longer debated Southeastern Expressway.
The city doesn't have the money to build the expressway, a 21-mile link between Route 44 in Virginia Beach and Interstate 64 in Chesapeake, and improve Holland and Laskin roads and Oceana Boulevard, City Engineer John W. Herzke told the council last week.
The expressway, which the council renamed the Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt, would cost at least $250 million. The three smaller road projects are on the state's funding budget for about $63 million, Herzke said.
During tonight's council meeting, which begins at 6, the city staff will present the rest of a 12-year funding plan for the expressway.
The council was split Monday over whether the expressway should be built now, later or never.
``I'm not sure I'm willing to give up funding for other major roadway projects in the city at this time in order to put money into the parkway,'' said council member Louis R. Jones.
``I don't see the point of committing funds to that road now, when we have so many other immediate needs.''
Vice Mayor W.D. Sessoms Jr. said the debate was really over the future of Virginia Beach.
``Do we want to stay a bedroom community?'' he asked. ``If Virginia Beach truly wants to take the tax burden away from the homeowner, we need to bring more businesses to our city. For us to be successful in doing that, we definitely need the Southeastern Parkway.'' ILLUSTRATION: WP Map
Area Shown: This section of the expressway would be built first.
KEYWORDS: ROAD CONSTRUCTION VIRGINIA BEACH by CNB