Many thanks to all the Patrick County supervisors and the Virginia Department of Transportation for their decision to pave Belcher Mountain Road in Meadows of Dan. A special thank you goes to Karl Weiss, supervisor of the Blue Ridge District, for doing the research and survey of the residents on this road. Thanks also to Jack Betts, resident of Belcher Mountain Road, for his assistance with the survey. Realizing the paving will not include the entire length of the road at this time, it is greatly appreciated to have any section paved even though it will not include the section where we live. Paving any part of the road will be a huge benefit to most if not all of the residents. We trust other sections of this road may also be paved when the funds can be appropriated in the next few years. Belcher Mountain Road is probably the most densely populated road, with over 40 residents on a 3 1/2 mile stretch, of any unpaved road in Patrick County. This road is hilly, curvy and very narrow in some places making it very difficult to pass a school bus or other large vehicles coming in the opposite direction, creating a safety hazard.
The amount of dust created by all the traffic makes an unhealthy environment. Many people other than residents of Belcher Mountain Road use this road as a shortcut from Meadows of Dan to Woolwine and other destinations. We would like to see all unpaved roads completed this century and feel this was a very deserving road the supervisors and VDOT selected to be paved at this time. I look forward to seeing the work begin.
Gene Tinker
Belcher Mountain Road
