Woo hoo!
Read entire article at Pilotonline.com:
“It’s a major walkway for a lot of people,” Williams said. “It’s good that the people of the city listened to the citizens. Before, they said they couldn’t do it. It’s good that they have found a way.”
Be safe people!
As Virginia Beach seems to be in the sites of Arthur, consider what precautions that you should take. Storm forecasting is still an art and not totally a science. It is possible to be told that it will be “mostly a rain event” with tropical storm winds of gale force, but storms and their tracks change quickly. Sometimes the last minute shift in course or intensity is to our advantage, sometimes not so. Consider the following preparations:
1. Do not leave your car in an area that floods easily. You can relocate your car to North Great Neck Road to one of the school parking lots. The Great Neck area is high enough so it should not flood.
2. Put some water in containers in your freezer in case power is lost. It helps keep things cold if power should be lost, and will also serve as drinking water if needed.
3. Check your flashlights and battery supply. The new LED type flashlights are 4 times brighter and the batteries last 10 times longer. Great source for light. Know where your flashlights are located.
4. Look at the areas around your house which could flood and make sure nothing valuable or potentially hazardous could get wet (lawn fertilizer, pool chemicals, tools etc.). And don’t forget to bring in all the lawn furniture.
5. If a room floods and the wall board gets wet, the wet wall board should be removed quickly so it will not damage more wall board. If the insulation gets wet remove it also, BUT wear gloves as this stuff itches. If you have to remove a lot of insulation, wear a face mask to prevent breathing the insulation fibers.
6. PERSONAL SAFETY. Don’t drive in water that comes to the bottom of your car’s doors (8 or more inches). You can’t plow through it and the water will come up over your hood. If you get water in your engine (sucked into engine intake), you may have to buy a new engine. When you don’t know how deep the water, go around or go back. Don’t use a BBQ grill in the garage or house as the the carbon-monoxide fumes can kill you and your pets. CO fumes are heavier than CO2, so CO fumes will sink and collect in the lower parts of your house. BE careful. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. If there are down power lines, consider them HOT and LETHAL. Tree branches CAN conduct electricity, as can metal fences, so don’t touch them if your neighborhood has a power outage.
7. Watch out for one another. BE GOOD Neighbors and don’t create wakes on your road. These wakes can do damage to adjacent homes. If you are going away from the area, let your neighbor know in case of damage to your house.
Let us all hope for the best. Our lawns need some rain, but let’s hope the winds are mild and the rains are only refreshing.
From an email, unedited:
Friends:
Below is the latest update on the Lesner Bridge replacement project from Chris Wojtowicz, project manager. If you have any questions or need additional information, please let either Chris or me know and we will be glad to help you.
Enjoy your holiday weekend.
Drew Lankford
Media and Communications
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beachdlankfor@vbgov.com
(O) 757.385.8062
(C) 757.409.4353Summer has officially begun, and – as you have noticed – so has the construction of the replacement Lesner Bridge project. I have spoken or corresponded with many of you over the past few weeks regarding your concerns with the start of this construction work. Based on these discussions, our project team felt that a brief update on the work and our response to the top three concerns might help folks better understand what work is taking place right now.
Below are the top three questions – and answers – that we have been discussing with so many of you:
Q: “Why wasn’t my property included in Pre-Construction Damage Assessment Survey?”
A: Generally, all properties (10) within 200 feet from a source of vibration that could exceed a threshold particle velocity value of 0.5 in/sec between a frequency of 2 and 10 Hz have been included in the contract documents. We refer to the AASHTO Standard Recommended Practice for Evaluation of Transportation-Related Earthborne Vibrations for selecting this threshold particle velocity – which is the level at which a plaster wall MIGHT begin to crack.
If your property was not included in the contract documents as one of those requiring a survey, then your property fell outside of this zone of influence and has an extremely low risk of structural damage from construction related earth related vibrations. That being said, if the City felt that there was any risk of structural damage to a particular property, that property would have been included in the contract documents as requiring both a Pre- and Post-Construction Damage Assessment Survey.
Beyond the expected areas of influence, seismographs – along with horizontal and vertical control points – have been placed so that the project team can monitor these vibrations in real time and make adjustments to the construction methods if necessary. [As a side note, people “sense” or respond to a much broader range of vibration frequencies and intensities than structures. Intrusive vibration levels might concern some folks at much lower intensities than levels considered critical for structures (0.5 inches/sec between 2 and 10 Hz)].
So even though extremely low levels of vibration may be a nuisance to some people and cause one to become concerned about structural damage, there really is very little risk of this damage. All Pre-Construction Damage Assessment Surveys have been completed at this time.
Q: “Why does the Contractor have to work at night? There is so much noise!”
A: The contractor is only performing work at night that requires temporary lane closures on Shore Drive. Since we are in the summer months, daytime lane closures on Shore Drive are not permitted until after September 30th unless an exemption is granted by the Public Works Traffic Engineering Dept. Both stationary and non-stationary noise at night is now being monitored by the City using an Extech Digital Sound Level Meter to assure the Contractor’s compliance with the contract documents.
Q: “Why did the bridge contractor placed a fence at East Stratford Street and Shore Drive? This impedes pedestrians who want to cross Shore Drive from East Stratford Street to get to the beach since the beach access at the boat ramps has been closed.”
A: New storm drainage and a large stormwater management device need to be installed at this corner. This fence and other barriers are required to “safe-up” the work area and the deep excavation that will be performed. The project team has reviewed the pedestrian access concern and will make some minor design changes (such as moving the stormwater management structure further to the east) to better accommodate these pedestrians. The proposed changes are that the pedestrian signals will be un-bagged and a gate will be added to the temporary fence to allow pedestrians access to the existing crosswalk. These changes will be implemented before July 4th.
The work taking place right now on the project involves modifying the approach lanes at both existing bridges in preparation for shifting the lanes of traffic slightly to the south. This lane shift is required in order to make room for the equipment and utilities needed to construct the new westbound bridge. The crane that is out there now on the west side of the bridges will be used in the construction of the first bridge footing and abutment for the new westbound bridge.
Bridge footing construction will likely begin in August 2014 and will progress from west to east. During this time the concrete casting yard, Atlantic Metrocast Inc., in Portsmouth VA will be prepared for production of the pre-cast concrete bridge sections. Placement of the first bridge segments on the new bridge piers/foundations will likely begin in mid-March 2015.
Thank you again for all of your valuable input that helps us move this project along in a safe and responsible manner. Still to come – Lesner Bridge Construction Webpage with live/time lapse construction video.
Enjoy your summer.
-Chris
Christopher J. Wojtowicz, P.E.
Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
Department of Public Works
Municipal Center-Bldg 2
2405 Court House Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9031
Phone: (757) 385-5785
Fax: (757) 385-5668
email: cwojtowi@vbgov.com
Sidewalk at beloved Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility is now closed.
PLEASE keep in mind IF you choose to park there to go to beach it will be challenging to say the least
Note: Photo was not in email but added by the Editor to ensure everyone knows of the challenges using the beloved Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility this coming Holiday Weekend. Be safe people.
This was taken at the foot of the Lynnhaven Pier June 3rd. I don’t know if this seagull was ever captured. Looks to be a black dart. Sure hope this person is caught. Very senseless.
Thanks for sharing Trish.
Hope it helps catch them.
Birds shot with blow darts in Shore Drive area JUNE 19, 2014 at SDCC.info
From a News Release:
Public Works Schedules Sand Replenishment for Cape Henry Beach
Virginia Beach Public Works has announced a sand haul of 60,000 cubic yards of sand for replenishment of Cape Henry Beach in time for the summer season.
The sand stockpile area south of the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp and Beach Use Facility has been the repository for sand dredged from the Lynnhaven Inlet in recent years. With the beginning of the Lesner Bridge Replacement Project, McLean Contracting Company, contractors for the bridge project, will need part of this stockpile area for use as a staging and laydown area for materials.
Currently there are about 80,000 cubic yards of sand stockpiled here, and moving 60,000 cubic yards to Cape Henry Beach – which was last replenished in 2010 – will allow the contractors to set up for the bridge project.
Trucks will begin hauling sand as early as the second week of May, and are expected to be finished in 6 to 8 weeks. The total cost for the replenishment is estimated at $700,000, and will be funded from the Lesner Bridge Replacement Project contingency fund.
For additional information, contact Chris Wojtowicz at (757) 385-5785 or at CWojtowi@vbgov.com.
Note: I apologize for not posting this back on May 2nd when it was released.
Please enter at the rear of the building where the cypher lock is.
Previously about Croakers Variance Request.
Croakers upper deck
Case 8: Joseph Johns requests a variance to request a modification of conditions of a variance previously approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals on May 15, 1991 to allow 21 off-street parking spaces instead of 30 off-street parking spaces as required for a residential addition on Lots 4 & 5, Ocean Park, 3629 Shore Drive. Bayside District #4, ZONING: B-2, RMA, GPIN: 1489-58-0895
Neighbors are working to set up a meeting with Croakers consultant to find out their intentions.
Woo hoo!
Check out the 3 page PDF with more info.
From Tour de Virginia Beach July 2009 advocating for more bike lanes.
Link to Virginia Beach CIP search page.
Click here for a printable agenda SDCC Agenda March2014
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN DATE TO TUESDAY DUE TO MEMORIAL DAY
Shore Drive Community Coalition
SDCC General Meeting
7:30-8:30 pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Station (Intersection of Shore Drive and East Stratford Rd.)
Call to order:
Officers’ Reports: President’s Report David Williams
Vice President’s report Rick Mercadante
Secretary’s Report Todd Solomon –APR Minutes
Treasurer’s Report Paulette Hruska
Old Business
New Business
Adjourn
Next SDCC- Monday JUNE 30, 2014 Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Center
Please check www.sdcc.info for more information on area news and events
The city’s health department has issued a swimming and wading advisory for the Chesapeake Bay between Wake Forest and Kendall streets because of bacteria levels in the water.
The advisory includes the First Landing State Park coastline along the bay. It does not affect the Oceanfront.
Recent tests by the health department found bacteria levels exceeded State Water Quality Standards, according to a news release.
Signs will be posted on the beach.
All are welcome at the CSBTS Civic Meeting.
At the request of Bayfront Advisory Committee, Traffic Engineering staff has surveyed the Bayfront Communities north of Shore Drive between the Lesner Bridge and State Park, including Cape Story by the Sea community. The purpose of this parking survey was to locate the illegal no parking signs, misplaced signs, illegal encroachments, and those legal no parking signs that are no longer needed due to changes over the years in this area.
In case you missed it, here is the Virginian-Pilot’s article regarding Saturday’s stabbing incident at Chesapeake House on the Bay condos.
Stabbing at condominium near Lesner Bridge in Va. Beach
By Stacy Parker
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 26, 2014Three people suffered stab wounds after a domestic-related incident turned violent Friday.
Police and rescue personnel responded to a call at 3:24 p.m. at Chesapeake House on the Bay, a condominium complex at 3558 Shore Drive, where they found three victims complaining of stab wounds, said Officer Tonya Borman, police spokesperson.
Two victims were transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. One person was treated at the scene.
The suspect, Bradley Good, 18, was located and arrested. Good has been charged with one account of aggravated malicious wounding.
Click here for a printable version of the agenda SDCC Agenda April 2014
Shore Drive Community Coalition General Meeting
Monday April 28, 2014
7:30-8:30 pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Station
(Intersection of Shore Drive and East Stratford Rd.)
Call to order:
Officers’ Reports: President’s Report David Williams
Vice President’s Report Rick Mercadante
Secretary’s Report Todd Solomon –March Minutes
Treasurer’s Report Paulette Hruska
Old Business: See meeting topics
New Business: Open floor
Adjourn
At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council will hear budget presentations from several city departments. The Public Works Department also will brief the council on proposed solutions to chronic flooding in the eastern Shore Drive area.
GO!
Read & comment at Pilotonline.com.
Graphic from Virginian-Pilot
As you may know, it will challenging to say the least for pedestrians & cyclists to cross the Lesner Bridge during the new bridge construction.
We’re happy to announce that we can share the news about a public/private partnership we created to solve this issue!
We worked with the city & state to legalize it.
We worked with various manufacturers, businesses, sponsors & non-profit groups to ensure we use the best practices in all facets of this project – self-driving cars on Shore Drive!
How it will work:
It’s that easy!
So far we’ve been able to have several vehicles to choose from, and by the time this project goes live in 2015, we hope to add more.
We’re happy to announce you’ll be able to choose from a Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Volvo & Audi.
Please share your ideas.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 