NORFOLK, Va. — If you drive on Virginia Beach Boulevard regularly, you could see some changes on your commute.
In the Broad Creek area of Norfolk, the bridge over the Elizabeth River isn’t the largest bridge we have over a body of water in the area, but it’s important nonetheless.
“We're having traffic coming in from not just Norfolk, but Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, the surrounding areas. So this is a heavy traffic area,” said Alana Smith, a Management Analyst with Norfolk’s Public Works Department.
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On Tuesday, November 12, the city of Norfolk began a maintenance project on this bridge. They're adding a sealant for the pavement so it’s durable in the long run, fixing up the railings and sidewalks, and doing general upkeep to extend the lifespan of the bridge.
Smith says commuters will see less travel lanes.
“A westbound lane will be shut down and then the east lane. Very rarely will they be shut down at the same time. And that's going to help mitigate any severe congestion,” she told News 3.
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Business owners in the area, like Steve McDonald of Trinity Auto Sales, say it could impact business. However, he says he understands that safety on the road is a top priority.
“I would rather them make it safe than something happen to a family or someone who’s crossing the bridge,” he said.
The bridge has an estimated completion of around August of 2025 and will cost around $1.4 million to complete.
Some alternatives to getting around the congestion that could build up in the area include taking I-264 or Princess Anne Road instead, as they run parallel to Virginia Beach Boulevard in that portion of town.
However, this isn’t the only bridge being worked on in the Mermaid City. Construction on the Campostella Bridge on the Southside of Norfolk is due to wrap up in mid-2025 as well, with road work on the Shore Drive bridge scheduled to begin on November 25.
Projects:
- If you would like to know more about the Virginia Beach Blvd. bridge construction, click here.
- If you would like to know more about the Campostella bridge construction, click here.
- If you would like to know more about the Shore Drive bridge construction, click here.
