VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — This Halloween the tales of Virginia Beach's Elbow Road are a little less spooky now that a large amount of trees have been removed over the last few weeks.
The tree removal is all part of the widening project for Elbow Road which got underway in September.
"Almost every week, somebody gets into the ditch," Jose Callangan, a resident who lives off of Elbow Road, said.
Watch: Construction begins in September on widening Elbow Road in Virginia Beach
Callangan said for almost 30 years he's felt like he's heard improvement coming to Elbow Road and over the last few weeks you can see the change start.
"I miss all the trees that were cut down," Callangan said.
The trees were cut down because it is an area that will be the new site for a new bridge.
"The trees are in the area where the new bridge across the North Landing River will run," Dustin Kwok, project manager for the City of Virginia Beach, said. "The next step after they clear it they're going to be building some temporary access points."
Watch: Virginia Beach's Elbow Road may start widening this summer
Construction on the new bridge will begin sometime next year but it's all a part of making Elbow Road safer.
Callangan said he himself was once almost hit on Elbow Road while riding his Vespa.
"I was able to maneuver, he hit my handlebar and I continued on and I looked back because I heard a crash and he fell into a ditch," Callangan said.
He said he's known some of those crashes over the years to even be fatal.
"There was a young girl of 16 or 17, a one-car accident and it happened right here at the very end of this corner," Callangan said.
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The widening of Elbow Road will expand it from two lanes to four lanes and provide an 8-foot multi-use path on both sides.
"I'm hoping it will avoid any more accidents and will prevent speeders," Callangan said.
Clearing is expected to continue through the end of November for the section near the bridge.
The project is still expected to be completed in 2028.
