DATE: Saturday, September 6, 1997           TAG: 9709050017

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  137 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Serious traffic accidents on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel are ``driving visitors away,'' said an Aug. 29 editorial.

In fact, since that editorial, two more serious accidents have occurred. On Saturday, five people were killed in the bridge-tunnel's deadliest crash ever. And on Wednesday, four were injured in a collision.

A second span under construction may eventually solve the problem of head-on collisions. But what can be done right now? Thirty readers called in their suggestions. Here are some of them.

Drivers more aggressive

Living on the Eastern Shore, we travel the bridge-tunnel often - we'd rather shop in Hampton Roads than Maryland and we see doctors there. Some years ago, my husband made 32 trips in a few months time to Norfolk Sentara. Of course, there's no toll reduction for anyone.

I never had any more fear of traveling the bridge-tunnel than any other highway, but lately the drivers seem more aggressive, less attentive and drive faster.

Remember, we won't have two spans open for sometime, because as soon as the new span is complete, the older span will be closed for repairs. Let's do something to slow bridge-tunnel traffic.

Jeanne P. Wight

Pungoteague

Issue round-trip tickets

My first suggestion would be to issue round-trip tickets, at a 10 percent discount, for $18. This would reduce the need to collect tolls each direction from all vehicles and speed movement of traffic under any condition.

Regarding the backups due to accidents: I would equip a service vehicle at each end of the complex with toll-collection equipment, and have that vehicle - with the collector and police attendant - work the line of traffic. When the bridge complex is open, the traffic would move freely. If somebody does decide to get out of line, an immediate refund would be issued.

Donald H. Flayhart

Virginia Beach

Four ideas, little hope

I travel this route often on business. Some suggestions:

1. The entire Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel should be a no-passing zone until the new parallel roads are open. This road is the most dangerous in Virginia, in my opinion. I am truly fearful when I drive it.

2. Set the speed limits to 45 mph, minimum and maximum. The big problem is tourist and ill-equipped drivers going too slow, sight-seeing. This only encourages impatient drivers to take chances on a roadbed that is unstable and wavy.

3. Close the restaurant gift shop on the south island. Drivers headed south have to do a 180-degree turn to get off, resulting in a slowdown on an upgrade, which in turn causes acceleration problems for trucks.

4. Get rid of the tunnel police and turn the enforcement over to the state police.

I'm sure none of the above will be done and more lives will be lost or ruined.

Jim O'Keeffe

Virginia Beach

Use double yellow line

One thing that might help is to put a double yellow line on both the Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnels all the way and have the officers enforce it.

Once they have a traffic snarl, I agree with your editorial, they just do not help to get the traffic going again. They just sit there and chew the fat.

J.R. Berkeley

Norfolk

Clear accident quickly

When accidents occur, the injured must immediately be attended to and just as quickly the roadway cleared. Too many times have I seen disabled vehicles remain in the same position for an inexcusable time.

A helicopter could be used to remove a vehicle in situations such as the bridge-tunnel where there is only one lane. As for vehicles involved in accidents that can be physically pushed or driven out of the way, I've seen at times 3 to 4 police vehicles at the scene and nothing moves. Not their job, I guess.

John Roschen

Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

Don't allow any passing

I cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel a number of times in the summer and I've always thought that it ought to be ENTIRELY a no-passing zone, because there's always a possibility for a head-on collision.

And there ought to be some sort of division down the center line so that people cannot cross into the lane, not even to look head.

Pam Goldman

Virginia Beach

Don't use orange cones

I think that the orange traffic cones in the center of the bridge-tunnel lanes would create an additional traffic hazard, because of the width of the roads. Those cones would be hit and would be all over the place. I really don't think that's a very good idea.

Don Jackson

Chesapeake

Cones are a good idea

I really hate driving that route and the orange cones as a center-line barrier would be a good temporary measure. Something really and truly needs to be done on that toll bridge.

Marge Boelte

Norfolk

Have a police escort

I use the bridge-tunnel 2 or 3 times a month and it costs me $40 to $60 a month. I like your idea about the double-line no cars passing.

I'd also like to suggest that the patrol cars get in line after maybe 12 or 24 cars have passed the toll booth and follow that entourage, escorting them across the bridge, and keep that going all day long, morning and night.

Anthony Sacco

Cape Charles

Can't overcome ignorance

I think it's time we quit trying to make bridges and roads people-proof; we can't protect them from their own ignorance.

People going 55 mph hitting each other at 110 mph is the same as hitting a brickwall at 100 mph. Putting barriers up just creates one more hazard in the width of the roadway.

Hollis Rich

Portsmouth

Still safer than I-64

I've used the Bay bridge-tunnel at least 20 times. I've never had any accidents or come upon any. I don't know about the statistics, but I'm pretty sure that, mile for mile, it has a lot less accidents than I-64, especially around the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel or the Downtown or Midtown tunnels.

Safety warnings are very well posted and I feel the police do an excellent job monitoring this area. I see more patolmen on one passing of the 27 miles of this bridge- tunnel than I do in a weekly total of at least 150 miles during peak hours on I-64.

Lisa Wilson

Virginia Beach

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