VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) presented five ceremonial checks totaling nearly $15.5 million to the City of Virginia Beach Wednesday. The federal funding will be used to help fund several projects throughout the city.
The congresswoman secured $2 million to drive the Laskin Road construction project forward after state funding for a section of the thoroughfare essentially ended.
For the past few years, the main artery has been riddled with traffic cones and road closure signs as crews work to get rid of the feeder lanes and widen the road.
Tia Le of Suffolk drives along the busy, and at times, congested stretch every day to get to work.
“The other day when it was raining, it was very compact, like bumper to bumper,” Le said. “My little lunch break I have, it turned from 30 minutes to like 10 minutes because by the time I got to the restaurant I picked up my food from, my break was over. It’s very frustrating, so 10 out of 10 frustration.”
The 0.6-mile stretch from Red Robin Road to Oriole Drive will go from four lanes to six.
Luria said the project is meant to ease traffic jams and improve safety.
“This (funding) will allow the City of Virginia Beach to continue that project further eastward along the road,” she said. “People who travel that road might understand that it floods pretty frequently, so not only is it to help improve transportation but also mitigate some of the flooding and sea level rise issues in that corridor.”
Nimmo Parkway will be getting $3 million, moving the project into the next phase to give folks another way to get in and out of Sandbridge when it floods. That way, folks won’t have to use the military base as an evacuation route.
The Virginia Beach Police Department is slated for $1.5 million. Chief Paul Neudigate said the money will go toward technology for training.
“Where we really see this making big benefits for the VBPD is in terms of our de-escalation training, our ability to invest in virtual reality and a lot of scenario-based training,” he said. “We needed the funding to really immerse our officers into making those decisions in that scenario-based training model hundreds of times before they get out on the street.”
Neudigate said the technology will help make the force more efficient and effective as it continues to close the officer-shortage gap. Neudigate said they’ve been making strides and will only be short by about 35 officers by the end of January.
Meantime, drivers along Laskin road are looking forward to some relief once the work wraps up in April 2024.
“I think that would be really good,” Tia Le said. “I think that would make traffic move a lot more smoother.”
Another $8.5 million in federal funding has been earmarked for other community projects throughout the rest of the region. The money for municipalities is expected to be rolled out in the next several months.
The projects awarded community project funding (CPF) in Virginia Beach include:
City of Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Training Facilities Upgrades
Amount Received: $1,500,000
Requestor: City of Virginia Beach
Project Description: The funding will be used to repair, upgrade, and enhance law enforcement facilities within the City of Virginia Beach. These facilities will provide unique training opportunities for new recruits and veteran officers at the local, state, and federal level who are tasked with serving the Commonwealth of Virginia residents, businesses, and visitors.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) IT Modernization
Amount Received: $1,482,900
Requestor: City of Virginia Beach
Project Description: The funding will be used to purchase IT equipment to complete the mobile Emergency Operations Center. Completion of this project will enhance operational readiness, support continuity of operations, and strengthen the City’s resiliency to natural and human-caused emergencies.
Laskin Road Phase I-B
Amount Received: $2,000,000
Requestor: City of Virginia Beach
Project Description: The funding will be used for roadway improvements along the existing alignment of Laskin Road from Red Robin Road to Oriole Drive for a length of approximately 0.6 miles, as well as minor improvements at Birdneck Road. Improvements to Laskin Road will widen the four-lane plus frontage road facility to a traditional six-lane divided facility with a raised median as well as a sidewalk and shared-use path for bicycles and pedestrians.
Nimmo Parkway Phase VII-B
Amount Received: $3,000,000
Requestor: City of Virginia Beach
Project Description: The funding will be used to improve access to Sandbridge and provide a more resilient hurricane evacuation route for the Sandbridge residents. This project involves construction of a two-lane undivided roadway with shoulders, on-road bike lanes, and a single shared-use path.
Virginia Beach Trail
Amount Received: $750,000
Requestor: City of Virginia Beach
Project Description: The funding will be used to construct an at-grade 10-foot-wide paved shared use path. The path is a 3-mile segment that will connect to Norfolk’s Tide and HRT bus system, traverse past the CVB Housing Resource Center, continue through two federally designated Opportunity Zones and Town Center, and terminate at Constitution Drive.
