From Aug. 7-10, The News Leader displayed an accident scene on Interstate 81 as a front page news item each day.
Again and again, we see or hear of plans being developed to "improve" this highway which is so central to our Shenandoah Valley. One of the latest of these proposals involves separate lanes for truck traffic and other vehicles, with safety as the prominent rationale for this type of separation. With the three-truck fiasco that occurred on Friday morning and persisted in tying up the southbound lanes of I-81 for 8 hours while routing all other traffic through Staunton for the better part of that day, one cannot help but wonder how many other vehicles might have been involved to their detriment if these three trucks had crossed over into the non-truck lanes.
A further problem of the numerous plans for widening I-81 is the time element, when this beautiful valley of ours would be desecrated for at least a generation of residents by 20-25 years of construction. When will the planners finally realize that the tax-paying residents of this area have a point of view that should not be summarily disregarded?
If the goal of whatever planning is presented is safety, and the combination of trucks and other vehicles being in conflict to an increasing degree is at least partially to blame, then let's leave I-81 as is and develop a separate highway to the east of I-81 exclusively for truck traffic. It is my understanding that 78 percent of I-81 truck (traffic) pass(es) through Virginia rather than conducting business here. Shunting I-64 traffic from Lexington northeasterly in the general direction of U.S. 340 with a new highway as an exclusive truck route would answer a multitude of the present concerns.
Coupling this with full speed-enforcement powers on both highways might well be the solution to the continuing and increasing accident problems with I-81.
I would also hope that with the 10 new members of the State Transportation Board recently appointed by Gov. Warner there might be a refreshing change in perspective which we could some day look back upon as responsible for an intelligent solution to the I-81 problem.
The way to stop the problem on I -81 is to have a reporting system by where people can use their cell phones and report the aggressive dangerous drivers both trucks and automobiles as well.
Push the State Police take action against these drivers...., not the poor person that just wants to stay out of the "Wolf Packs" and get pulled over because he is going 75mph just he is to scared to have a truck Driver on this tail or cut in front of them even at that speed....
Currently if a driver tries to run you off the road or is going 100 mph and you call the State Police they do NOTHING. I say mark the trucks with a big number when they come into VA and track them at the Weight Stations. If the state Police don't start doing something about it then we need to form a I-81 Citizens Take Force.
Lets use the Cell Phone for some good of all KEEP CALLING AND DEMANDING THAT THEY TAKE ACTION....
How about the cars that tailgate me and fly past me . Keep in mind that trucks haul everything you use . And its not all trucks as you say ,its cars as well . And believe me , its a thankless job . Plus speding time away from home . Could you do this job . think about it .
Maybe you folks should keep in mind that the Interstate Highway system was built to expedite commerace across America.To get goods and produce to consumers faster ,not so you could cut an hour off your trip to grandmas house.If you dont like sharing it with trucks go ride on some back road.Your options are open,ours are not.We are restricted to where we can go by way to many fed. and state laws.Keep in mind everything you have comes by truck.Railroad cars dont deliver to stores.The more hassles we have,the longer it takes and the further it takes to get from point a to point b the more we have to charge for our services.And in the long run the more you the consumer has to pay.It is all passed along to you the consumer.Think about it.
I do have to say as a wife of a trucker, I used to drive right up on their rearends... but once being on the road with my husband, seeing that a truck can not stop on a dime.. the cars need to realize that. Most of the time it is a car that causes the accidents...not the trucker, then the truck is to blame because its always easier. I personally feel safer knowing i am driving with trucks.
