Evening star., 1951-08-31
Virginia Speeds
Roads Before
Bad Weather
$40 Million Program
Rushed to Lessen
Effect of Showdown
BY the Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va, Aug. 81
crews are putting on
speed today to try and finish as
much as possible of the States
current $40 million construction
program before bad weather
brings it's annual work showdown
IN November.
The State Highway Depart
nent reported some so road and
bridge projects, valued at about
So million, were expected to be
completed within the next two
months.
Keeping in mind a steel short
age that is threatening to put
roadblocks in the way of both
road and bridge construction in
which structural and reinforcing
metal are required, engineers said
additional construction would be
put under contract as rapidly as
possible. Contracts amounting to
more than SO million were an
nounced yesterday on work to be
started this fall.
Coleman Span Largest Project.
Largest Of the projects under
construction is the So million
Coleman Memorial Bridge at
Yorktown. Financed by special
revenue bond act, the bridge is
expected to be completed next
April, but it's $555, 900 approach
road is scheduled to be opened to
local traffic in about four weeks.
Projects scheduled for compile
ton between now and the end
of the year include:
l. A million dollar bypass at
South Boston, designed to carry
all through and much local traffic
around the town on high-level
bridge that is not likely ever to
be closed by food waters Of the
Dan. The bridge was finished
last year and approach work is
scheduled for completion by Oc-
tober.
Widening Task.
2. Nearly 9 miles of widening to
"a feet of the only narrow sec
ton of U. S. Route /. Only
finishing work remains to COM
|plete the $352,000 job between
South Hill and the North Caro-
lima line.
3. On U. S. Route II. a four
mile, four-lane divided section
west of Chilhowie in Washington
County; a 4.63-mile similar
stretch south of Steeles tavern in
Rockbridge County. and a $780,
900 bridge over Narrow Passage
Greek between Edinburg and
Woodstock are all earmarked for
completion about October if con-
ditions remain favorable. A
$247 900 structure over Cedar
Greek near Strasburg and a STA
900 bridge over Pughs Run north
of Woodstock were originally
scheduled for completion this
year, but delayed by materials
shortages.
Railroad Bridge Planned.
4. At Dublin. a $286.000 railroad
overhead bridge and new ap-
Iproach road will connect with a
new bridge over U. S. Route IL
to take Route 100 above the main
eaSt-west highway, eliminate a
railroad grade crossing and cut
lright-angle turns from the north
south route. Estimated date Of
lcompletion is early October.
5. On U S. Route 60 west of
Cumberland Courthouse, a 2.9-mile
Ileveling and widening job is ex-
Ipected to be finished in Septem-
her. Surfacing of the new stretch
lis now under way.
6. A major relocation on U. s.
Route 90 at the North Carolina
line, which will eliminate narrow
and crooked section of highway,
cut a blind railroad underpass
from the heavily travelled artery
and connect with North Carolina s
new stretch of U. S. Route 20 at
the State line, is virtually COM
plete
Virginia Beach Boulevard.
7. On the Virginia Beach boule-
ward, U. S. Route So, a 1896, 900
job is nearing completion. A
$606,000 extension of the four
lane divided road, started August
13, will take the limited access
highway almost to Virginia Beach
next year.
8. A 6.6-mile stretch of straight
ened and widened u. S. Route So
south of Fort Chiswell is on the
list for october completion.
9. On U. S. Route 900, south Of
Roanoke, SIS miles of four-lane
divided highway is scheduled to
be finished about October /.
10. Another stretch of 6.7 miles
of U. S. Route 220 south of Boones
Mill also is currently scheduled
fer completion in october. Engi-
neers said that other portions Of
the long widening and straighten-
ing job south of Rocky Mount
should be finished this fall.
Work on Route 207.
II. The straightening and
widening of 7.3 miles of Route 2O7
between U. S. Route / at Carmel
Church and Bowling Green is ex-
pected to be finished about mid
September. This work and 1O.6-
mile project currently under way
on U S. Route 301 between Bowl
ing Green and Port Royal are
stage" jobs in the rebuilding of
the highway from the Potomac
River to U. S. Route /. Before
the road is complete, the Malta
poni River bridge and nearly S
miles Of road on Route 207 and
around 10 miles on U. S. Route
301 south of the Potomac, must
be rebuilt
Other jobs on the expected-to-
be COMPLETED list include the