DATE: Friday, October 3, 1997               TAG: 9710020299

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: THE ROAD WARRIOR 

SOURCE: Road Warrior 

                                            LENGTH:  101 lines

BE CAREFUL TO DIAL CORRECT NUMBER WHEN REPORTING HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS

This has not been Road's month. Last week, Road told cellular phone users who want to report accidents or other incidents on the interstates to dial *77. That's wrong. It's (NU)77.

Using the ``77'' will get you straight to the State Police, which handles all interstate incidents.

Now, if you're on a cellular phone and want to call Virginia Beach Police, it's best to use the 427-5000 number. On regular home phones, the number to call in case of emergency is 911.

Otherwise, cellular 911 calls go to the State Police, which could mean a delay in response because the calls must be transferred to local emergency services (assuming the problem's local).

The (NU)77 number is preferred when calling the State Police on a cellular phone, and it's part of a statewide effort to be consistent, says Tammy Van Dame, a State Police spokeswoman.

Van Dame says when reporting an accident it's also important for dispatchers to know if there are or appear to be injuries, if the accident is blocking traffic and exactly where the accident is.

If the vehicles are blocking traffic and there are no injuries, move the automobiles to the side of the road and out of traffic's way.

Don't worry about proving blame if the cars are moved. Van Dame says the accident reconstruction folks can figure out just who did what.

So remember, it's (NU)77 on a cellular phone to get in touch with State Police, 427-5000 on a cellular to get in touch with local police and from home on a regular phone, it's 911.

SNARLS OF THE WEEK

The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.

Kathleen, Great Neck. Recently Stoney's Produce moved down First Colonial to First General. To exit Stoney's heading in the direction of Great Neck, one must turn right on Old Donation and then make a U-turn because there's a solid median where First General meets Old Donation. Could the Traffic Operations Department cut out the median so that a simple left turn is possible on Old Donation, please. Thank you.

RW: According to the ADC Map, First General comes up just east of Bayne Drive, which has a median opening.

Engineers say they won't offer two median cuts when they're that close together.

David Schroder, no address given. My problem is the junction at Providence Road, Churchill Road and Indian Lakes Parkway. They put up the signals but they didn't put up a left turn light to turn left from Churchill and Indian Lakes onto Providence.

RW: Engineers are planning to install a protected left turn arrow there on Indian Lakes and Churchill. Road guesses it's on their long list of things to do.

John Thurston, Aragona Village. Motorists are not reading the signs. If you proceed east on Route 44, after passing the Newtown Road exit, the overhead sign says, ``Shoulder Closed. Keep Left.'' When you get to Witchduck and want to exit, northbound, some clown will pass you on the right side. They need a post a sign at eye-level with an arrow pointing up saying, ``observe overhead sign.''

RW: Actually, John, Road thinks they should just close those lanes altogether. They create too many hazards and most folks don't even know how to use them.

Dennis Watson, no address given. I wonder if you could check on the lights on Dozier's Bridge, at Princess Anne Road, near the Courthouse. The lights have been up since June and the bridge has been completed. But, the street lights are not on. You'd think by now they'd have them up. Thanks.

RW: Don't blame engineers for this one, Dennis. It's likely Virginia Power's delay. The lights are turned on and kept in working order by Virginia Power. Often, turning the lights on can take up to several months after a project is finished.

Sue Shepard, no address given. Are you sure about people on the side street having to yield to a U-turner?

There's no way you can tell if they're going to make a U-turn or whether they're just making a turn.

RW: Road's sure all right, Sue. In fact, Road first made the mistake of saying side street traffic can go before U-turners. That's not so. If a driver is on a main street making a U-turn, side street traffic must yield to him. Road's positive because when Road first made a mistake on the topic a zillion people called to let Road know about it.

Mike, no address given. I'm calling about the Route 44 exit at Rosemont. The loop must be bad there because when you're in the lane to head south, the light doesn't change unless someone pulls up to turn north.

I work nights until 3 a.m. and I purposefully go to the lane that heads north so the light will switch and then I turn south because otherwise I'd be sitting there forever. Bye.

RW: Funny, you should mention that signal, Mike. Road went through there the other day and thought the cycle seemed awfully long. Road'll pass this on to engineers to check out.

Sonia Cooser, no address given. I want to know what's going on at Centerville Parkway and Indian River Road? They made the light a lot longer. Thanks.

RW: Is the light being longer good or bad, Sonia? Road gets the impression by the tone of your voice that extending the timing was a good thing?

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