                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 14, 1997             TAG: 9701140266
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
                                            LENGTH:   24 lines

NOW WE'RE IN THE LOOP

ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA/The Virginian-Pilot

State Sen. Frederick M. Quayle, left, and James C. Cleveland,

state Department of Transportation district construction engineer,

unveil a sign Monday on north I-664 identifying the 55-mile loop of

I-664 and I-64 as the Hampton Roads Beltway. The designation is

meant to end motorists' confusion and promote a regional identity.

Under the beltway system, the inner loop travels clockwise; the

outer loop counter-clockwise in a circular pattern. ``I think the

fact that the Beltway in Washington is so heavily used indicates

that the people like using it,'' said Quayle, who proposed the

beltway moniker. Quayle is a Republican whose 13th District includes

parts of Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk. So far, 15 signs have

been erected. Crews are expected to have all 63 signs in place

before March 1 at a cost of $14,000.

KEYWORDS: I-664 I-64 HAMPTON ROADS BELTWAY

by CNB