Local Money

Chesapeake voted to allow the "Dominion Bike Path to Nowhere" plan, allowing the exhorberantly priced bike path to be built into the bridge. This bridge could be done another way. I had an idea of a zig-zag style ramp to get up to cross the water, allowing the rest of the path to be ground level, but they told me that the zig-zag structure would cost the same as the bridge. Why this path needs to be able to withstand heavy truck traffic, I will never know. I would think that a simple steel structure could be mounted on the side or underside of the bridge, negating any need for extra pilings. But, I tried. Virginia Beach on the other hand, is a bit split personallity when it comes to saving money. They decide to look at schools that they could close to save costs and then, in the same breath, decide that they will spend $5.1 million to relocate the Virginian-Pilot so they can build another overpriced phase of Town Center. Congrats however, to Bill DeSteph and Reba McClanan, who voted against the relocation proposal.