The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Diamond Ave. residents still searching for alternate exit |
Staff Photo by Charles Boothe:
A car crosses the Diamond Avenue bridge over Furnace Creek. The small creek can escape its banks during a heavy rain, flooding the area near the bridge in the background, blocking the only access in and out of the community. |
Friday, October 23, 2009
By CHARLES BOOTHE - Staff Writer
For residents of the Diamond Avenue and Highland Hills area on the outskirts of Rocky Mount, a hard rain is not always a welcome sight.
Flooding could mean they have no way out of their community, as they must cross a bridge near a low-lying area that can be covered in water if the nearby small creek swells over its banks.
Although they have asked for help for years in remedying the situation, the recent state budget cuts and a deal with a property owner that fell through has put more obstacles in their path.
Rev. Vandel Muse briefed the Franklin County Board of Supervisors on their dilemma Tuesday, saying, "If the bridge is closed, there is no way into our community and no way out."
The bridge Muse referred to provides a crossing over Furnace Creek on Diamond Avenue near the town limits and provides the only means of entry and exit for the neighborhood, where about 100 families live.
But an area just west of the bridge can be flooded, preventing access to the bridge.
Muse said two issues should be addressed: elimination of the flood zone created by the low-lying area and developing a second exit.
"When you think of all the emergencies that could happen, both of these issues are extremely critical," he said. "As an example, if for some unforeseen reason an individual became ill and needed immediate medical attention and the bridge in the flood zone was closed, how would the medical need be met?"
"Further, what would we do if a train derailed and the communities experienced a chemical spill? If flooding happens to the extent that passage is hindered, then the children will not be able to attend school."
Muse said the situation is "a time bomb waiting to happen" and has been the same for many years, but nothing has been done.
"As you can clearly see, if the bridge is closed, there is now way into our community and no way out," he said. "We would be remiss if we did not tell you that when we think about our situation, we are painfully reminded of the Ninth Ward in New Orleans (a case of governmental neglect publicized after Hurricane Katrina hit the city)."
A community meeting about the issues was recently held with Charles Wagner, chairman of the Franklin County Board of Supervisors and the Rocky Mount District member, and representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in attendance.
Wagner told the crowd that county and VDOT officials had hoped to come to the meeting with a plan and a proposed route for a second entrance and exit for the community.
VDOT has been studying a proposal for constructing a connecting link from Diamond Avenue Extension to Sycamore Street in Rocky Mount.
"We thought we had a plan. VDOT has already looked at it, and we were going to present it tonight," Wagner said.
But the property owner (who owns the land where the street would have been built) would not agree to provide the right of way for the proposed location, he said. Instead, the property owner agreed to provide a right of way at a different location on his property, Wagner said.
"We thought we had something, but the rug was pulled out from under us," he added.
Wagner said earlier this week that the problem on Diamond Avenue is not the bridge, but the low area just west of the bridge where water crosses as it spills over the creek's banks. Cleaning up the creek and shoring up the area where water tends to spill over should solve that problem, he said.
However, the bridge is just below a railroad crossing, and a second exit is the only answer to a scenario that may involve a train wreck or chemical spill of some sort.
That's why work to find a feasible second exit will continue, Wagner said, adding that he and county staff have previously contacted Fifth District Rep. Tom Perriello about obtaining stimulus funds for both projects.
"This would be a great use of those funds," Wagner said, adding that a member of Perriello's staff was scheduled to attend the community meeting but arrived too late.
The Town of Rocky Mount has also been helping with trying to find solutions.
In August 2008, the bridge saw a major overhaul after inspectors said it was deteriorating. The town paid for the materials and VDOT did the work.
At that time, Town Manager James Ervin said upgrading the bridge helped, but a second exit was still needed. |
| |
|
|
