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The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va., Road Warrior Column

Posted on: Tuesday, 8 November 2005, 00:00 CST

By The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.

Nov. 3--THIS BRIDGE LEADS ONLY TO MISCHIEF: Driving home on Interstate 264 in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago, Uwe Wilken heard a jarring bang.

Looking in his rear-view mirror, he saw several young men running down the ramp of a pedestrian bridge across the interstate. When he got home, he discovered a large dent on one of his back doors and reported it to the police.

"I was certainly glad one of my car windows wasn't hit," Wilken said.

The incident raises questions about whether the pedestrian walkway should even be open. Basically, it's a bridge to nowhere -- Norfolk State University cut off access to the walkway years ago on its side of the interstate.

The walkway, which runs from Thayor Street to the southern edge of Norfolk State, has a fence constructed of thick, 9-gauge mesh wire . The Warrior walked the bridge and found no openings in the fence. That's good for motorists on the interstate below.

But while the walkway is fenced, the long ramps leading to it are not. The unfenced landing atop each ramp is level with the walkway and offers unfettered access to the interstate for object hurlers.

Virginia State Police spokesman D.S. Carr said there have been 19 reports of objects thrown onto interstates at vehicles this year in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. There was another incident at the bridge near Norfolk State the same day Wilken reported his incident, on Oct. 6.

However, Carr said: "When you look at these two cities over the first 10 months of this year, you see that there is no pattern."

Still, to head off the rock throwers, Wilken suggests that VDOT construct fencing around the ramps. "The idea is to make it more difficult for people to do it," he said.

VDOT spokesman Bryan Moore said a VDOT inspector will determine whether fencing is needed. "Some individuals are so intent on causing damage, or worse, to the cars and motorists below them that they will find ways around our protective fencing, no matter how well constructed it might be," he said. "We can only do so much to prevent such behavior."

In the Warrior's mind, the bigger question is whether the 36-year-old walkway should be closed altogether.

A fence on the Norfolk State side prevents access to the campus from the walkway. It's a long walk through brush and along railroad tracks to anything else on that side of the interstate.

It makes one wonder why, in 1998, VDOT made $1.3 million in improvements to the walkway.

Norfolk State spokeswoman Sharon Hoggard said university maintenance personnel estimate access was blocked on the NSU side 10 to 15 years ago.

"It was a security issue," she said. "People coming onto campus should come through one of the gates. We need to know who is on campus, and what their business is ."

VDOT's Moore said that, in order for the walkway to be closed, Norfolk State would have to make an official request.

I forwarded that remark to Norfolk State police, and I'll let you know whether the university submits such a request.

YOUR 2 CENTS: The Warrior asked readers for their reaction to a suggestion from reader Butch Burwell, who believes a pedestrian walkway over Interstate 264 to Mount Trashmore would help relieve congestion on Independence Boulevard, while providing pedestrian and bicycle access to the park.

WARRIOR: I understand exactly how Mr. Burwell feels. We live in Larkspur and when I take my grandchildren to Mount Trashmore I drive them. I do not feel safe crossing Independence Boulevard with them. I rarely shop at Pembroke because I don't like driving in that traffic, much less walking or riding my bike.

If we are going to have a nice downtown and park, we should have a safe way to walk to both. As we get older, one of the best exercises we can get is walking. But we need to feel that it is safe.

--Bonnie Propster, Virginia Beach

WARRIOR: The fact that this problem ... even arises clearly shows how much disregard there is in this part of the country for any other mode of transportation than cars. In fact, there are a great number of similar cases where driving your car to go one block or two is the only safe choice.

Although we are at election time, and transportation is one of the major issues on the agenda, the promotion of alternative modes of transportation such as walking or riding is almost completely absent from the programs presented by the candidates.

--Bernard Lefevre, Norfolk

WATCH OUT!

--High-Rise Bridge, I-64: There will be lane closures in both directions on the Chesapeake bridge from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

--Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel: An eastbound lane will be closed from 9 p.m. today to 5 a.m. Friday.

--Midtown Tunnel: A lane will be closed from 9:30 p.m. today to 5 a.m. Friday.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.

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Source: The Virginian-Pilot

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