ROANOKE, Va. – Car enthusiasts are trying to keep a tradition alive this Friday.
Officials announced earlier this year that the annual Williamson Road cruise-in is moving away from the area due to crime concerns.
Star City Motor Madness moved the official event over to Roanoke’s Transportation Museum.
Joe Robertson loves cruising up and down Williamson Road so when he heard that Star City Motor Madness was moving the annual cruise-in, you could say he was disappointed.
“When they backed out of it a few months ago we were all kind of really upset about it,” Robertson said. “Everyone was talking about still coming out.”
Robertson has decided to lead the effort to keep it going.
“It was just something that we need to continue because it’s a tradition that has been in the Roanoke Valley for years,” Robertson said.
Not everyone thinks it’s a good idea.
“I understand what happened here in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, everybody’s having a great time driving their cars up and down the road, but the past several years it’s taken a different turn,” Valerie Brown, Executive Director of The Greater Williamson Road Area Business Association said. “People would just get drunk and be driving drunk or hanging out waving guns.”
Roanoke City Police said they plan to be at both cruise-in events on Friday prepared to protect the public.
“We had a lot of reckless driving last year that lead to us having an enforcement effort with Virginia State Police and the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office where we’re going to be very strict on enforcement when it comes to reckless driving and any kind of driving that may put the community at harm,” Sgt. Ray Shanks said.
Star City Motor Madness happens at the Transportation Museum from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, the community-led event on Williamson Road will happen at the same time.
Star City Motor Madness has a second event Saturday in Downtown Roanoke from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.