CHESAPEAKE, Va. — About a week ago, News 3 caught up with Chesapeake’s Director of Public Works, Earl Sorey, to chat about road projects that will impact Chesapeake residents in 2025.
One of them will affect residents not just living in Chesapeake, but in a neighboring city as well.
Next to Stumpy Lake Reservoir, on the border of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach lies Elbow Road. This is where crews will work on a $10 million bridge replacement project. When News 3 talked with Sorey about this project, he said the bridge is safe to use now, but it’s better to be proactive rather than reactive.
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“The replaced bridge will be built up out of the 100 year floodplain. That does a couple of things, it makes for a much more resilient roadway, it also provides additional storm-water capacity,” said Sorey.
By building the bridge higher, crews are able to reduce the risk of flooding on the road. Unfortunately, it will result in an 8-10 month total closure of Elbow road. That construction will start up later this year, and finish in 2026.
“We kind of refer to it as growing pains, and that’s kind of what it is. As we grow and make things better you know in the short term, the long term payoff will be significant,” Sorey said.
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A project slated to finish this year though is right at the intersection of Great Bridge Boulevard and Battlefield Boulevard. Here, crews will add an extra through lane to reduce traffic congestion on the current single through lane and the right turn lane.
“The intersection of Great Bridge Boulevard, Battlefield Boulevard and Kempsville Road, carries about 75,000 motorists a day, and we get back ups during the a.m. and p.m. rush hours,” says Sorey.
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This project is expected to finish in the summer of 2025, it will cost just under $2 million.
“In the future we’ll be able to carry two lanes across, we’ll be able to re-time the entire signalized intersection, and it will be a benefit to all users not just those using the right turn lane,” Sorey told News 3.
These aren’t the only projects comings to Chesapeake though, and for a full list of those road improvements, click here.
