View previous posts about tragic deadly crash.
Coverage at WAVY.com including video:
Eastbound Shore Drive is closed from 83rd Street to First Landing State Park while police investigate the accident. It is unknown at this time how long the road will be closed.
View LIVE VIDEO at 13 News Now.
Shore Drive was closed at the First Landing State Park gate to 83rd Street, to include the Fort Story mid-gate, until 6:45 a.m. The westbound lane was opened at that point, but eastbound remained closed.
About Jeremiah Denton at Wikipedia:
Denton is best known from this period of his life for the 1966 televised press conference in which he was forced to participate as an American POW by his North Vietnamese captors. He used the opportunity to communicate successfully and to confirm for the first time to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence and Americans that American POWs were being tortured in North Vietnam. He repeatedly blinked his eyes in Morse code during the interview, spelling out the word, “T-O-R-T-U-R-E”.
Related #LESNERBRIDGE renaming posts at SDCC.info:
From COVB Public Works Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT:
January 19, 2015 Drew Lankford, (757) 385-8062
(757) 409-4353
dlankfor@vbgov.comTemporary Daytime Lane Reductions on Lesner Bridge on Tuesday
Virginia Beach Public Works has announced that there will be single lane closures on Lesner Bridge tomorrow morning, Tuesday, January 20, 2015, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3p.m.
The lane closures will be on both eastbound and westbound Shore Drive between Vista Circle and East Stratford Street.
Crews will be restoring the faded temporary pavement markings in these areas.
For additional information, contact Chris Wojtowicz at cwojtowi@vbgov.com, or (757) 385-4131.
Screen shot of bridge construction cam at 7am this morning.
On Dec. 10, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 3 office sent a letter to Virginia Beach Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr., confirming that Virginia Beach was in compliance with the flood insurance program. In addition, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) confirms that Virginia Beach is in compliance with all requirements of the program, and will not be suspended.
January 15 2014 Update:
Friends:
As we bask in the cold, damp, drizzly, foggy, chilly, London-type weather, while watching moss grow everywhere, we have been receiving some inquiries about some pavement problems that need to be addressed on the Lesner Bridge project.
Below is the latest information from Chris Wojtowicz, our project manager. Please give this a look when you have the time, and feel free to let Chris or me know if you have any questions or need more information.
As a reminder, we are regularly updating information on our WEB page at: http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/public-works/roadways/Pages/lesner-bridge-7-14.aspx .
You can also follow us on Twitter at: @lesnerbridge.
If you know of someone who would like to be added to our update list, please have them get in touch with me at this e-mail address and I will be glad to add them.
Please feel free to pass this along to others. Thanks again for all of your patience throughout this project.
Thanks for all your questions and comments – and patience. Enjoy your weekend, and please stay warm and be safe.
Drew Lankford
Media and Communications
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach
dlankfor@vbgov.com
(O) 757.385.8062
(C) 757.409.4353To All:
This Lesner Bridge project update is to bring you all up to speed on the status of addressing several pavement issues on Shore Drive within the bridge project limits. We have been receiving a number of phone calls, texts, and emails regarding the faded temporary pavement markings on westbound Shore Drive just past the Page Avenue intersection, as well as the bump on eastbound Shore Drive at the Vista Circle intersection.
1) The “Bump”: A request for estimate and schedule has been submitted to a paving contractor. This estimate is due to the City no later than tomorrow, 1/16/2015. The estimate is based on the milling of the asphalt that is causing this bump in the eastbound outside lane for Shore Drive at the Vista Circle intersection and then replacing this asphalt with up to 2” of surface asphalt to match the elevation of the existing concrete pavement and eliminate the elevation difference that is causing the bump.
2) Faded Pavement Markings: We are very aware of the faded pavement markings along Shore Drive, both eastbound and westbound, and between East Stratford Street and Vista Circle/Page Avenue. We have attempted three times to replace these markings, but due to the wet weather and cold temperatures we have had to delay this maintenance work. Once we get a day where the pavement temperature is 50°F and rising, as well as dry, we will replace these painted temporary markings with a more durable thermoplastic marking. We will also place raised reflective pavement makers to help delineate the travel and turn lanes during wet weather and nighttime driving.
Once we have a definite schedule for this work, we will send out a news release announcing the date and times for the lane closures required to perform this work.
We appreciate your patience on these issues as we navigate through this period of cold and wet – typical coastal VIRGINIA – weather.
Thanks Again,
-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
View article at Pilotonline.com:
Voting will be open through the end of February.
The Bayfront Advisory Commission, which advises the City Council on issues pertaining to the Shore Drive and Chesapeake Bay-area communities, is expecting some unique input.
Click to visit website to submit your response.
About Vice Mayor Jones about VBGov.com who has represented Baylake Pines, Chesapeake Beach & Ocean Park neighborhoods for years.
He serves as the City Council liaison to several organizations, including the Water Task Force Committee, the Bayfront Advisory Commission, the Oceana Land Use Conformity Committee, the Pembroke Strategic Growth Area Policy Committee and the Town Center Committee.
About the Bayfront Advisory Committee at VBGOv.com:
The purpose of the Bayfront Advisory Committee (BAC) shall be to serve in an advisory capacity to City Council with respect to development and improvement to the Bayfront area.
There will be an opportunity for presentations from the public on other projects in the Bayfront area. The Committee generally concludes its deliberations around 4:30 p.m. The meeting is then opened to the public for comments.
We’ll be meeting in the Osprey Conference Room, but I’ll be waiting in the foyer. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone and showing you this beautiful new facility.
~ Karen
Coverage including video at WAVY.com.
Williams and Brown believe enforcement could lead to more awareness of pedestrians and crosswalk laws. They said this will be part of the Shore Drive Community Coalition’s safety initiative for the coming year, and they plan on bringing it before the city.
Some residents have also called for continuous sidewalks on Shore Drive and more crosswalks.
View comments and add your own to continue the conversation at WAVY TV story. Or comment below by clicking “LEAVE A COMMENT”.
Sorry, oh all knowing and all seeing benevolent Shore Drive Community Coalition, but you are trying to legislate STUPID.
Reduce the speed limit, they more boldly cross without the cross walk
Put up barriers, they will jump them.
I know this will sound harsh, but it is the Darwin theory in effect.
The stupid and week WILL be culled from the gene pool.
Clearly there can be more down to educate the users of this vital multi-modal thoroughfare.
4 examples, did you know:
§ 46.2-923. How and where pedestrians to cross highways.
When crossing highways, pedestrians shall not carelessly or maliciously interfere with the orderly passage of vehicles. They shall cross, wherever possible, only at intersections or marked crosswalks. Where intersections contain no marked crosswalks, pedestrians shall not be guilty of negligence as a matter of law for crossing at any such intersection or between intersections when crossing by the most direct route.
The governing body of any town or city or the governing body of a county authorized by law to regulate traffic may by ordinance permit pedestrians to cross an intersection diagonally when all traffic entering the intersection has been halted by lights, other traffic control devices, or by a law-enforcement officer.
Source: Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System
§ 46.2-924. Drivers to stop for pedestrians; installation of certain signs; penalty.
A. The driver of any vehicle on a highway shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing such highway:
1. At any clearly marked crosswalk, whether at mid-block or at the end of any block;
2. At any regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral boundary lines of the adjacent sidewalk at the end of a block;
3. At any intersection when the driver is approaching on a highway or street where the legal maximum speed does not exceed 35 miles per hour.
(contd)
Source: Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System
Sharing the Road
Drivers share the road with many other users: pedestrians, bicyclists, moped and motorcycle riders, trucks and buses, recreational vehicles and other vehicles of all shapes and sizes. It is your responsibility to adjust your driving to avoid other drivers’ mistakes and assure everyone’s safety.
Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Section 3: Safe Driving (24 page PDF)
Central to this evaluation will be the understanding that Shore Drive serves as the sole east-west transportation corridor in the City north of the I-264 / Virginia Beach Boulevard corridor. As such, from a land use perspective, it needs to be considered as a multimodal corridor and not solely as a vehicular corridor. Increased densities of development in the corridor demand that pedestrian amenities are more fully addressed in all aspects of the development process, from the rezoning and conditional use permit stage through to the development plan approval and inspection stage. The goal of improving the level of transportation services for a wide variety of users – pedestrians of all types, cyclists, in-line skaters, varied recreational users, transit users, as well as vehicle operators – and the interrelationships between these various users and land uses in an area characterized as being first and foremost as a resort community and not as a resort destination is suggested. Accordingly, both public and private proposed development criteria need to be evaluated from a multimodal perspective to ensure that the needs of these varied users are addressed. Since increasing roadway capacity in the area has strict limits, given the City Council directive that Shore Drive remain a four lane facility for the foreseeable future, greater emphasis needs to be placed on reducing intra-corridor trip demand, particularly where non- vehicular transit among various uses in the corridor can be promoted and encouraged.
Note:Emphasis ours.
Source: Excerpt from conclusion of COVB adopted Shore Drive Safety Task Force Recommendations 2006
View, and download Shore Drive Safety Task Force Recommendations from VBGov.com. (18 Page PDF)
Note: This is one document officially adopted by the City of Virginia Beach to be used for planning, construction, design and funding of infrastructure and other amenities for the Shore Drive community.
SHARE THE ROAD
First in a series for 2015.
We’re fortunate to live in such an amazing neighborhood that includes the Chesapeake Bay, Lynnhaven River, Pleasure House Point & First Landing State Park!
As most of you know, we share this area with a lot of wildlife.
Sometimes our local feathered, finned and furred friends need a little help.
Here’s what you can do.
Virginia Law sez:
Please remember it is illegal to keep or care for orphaned, sick or injured wildlife unless you are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries website has a searchable data base of Licensed Wildlife Rehabbers including phone numbers. Start here for Virginia Beach.
Aside from having an outstanding core group of wildlife volunteers, The Virginia Beach SPCA boasts its very own Wildlife Treatment Room onsite at the shelter. We are very proud to be one of only a handful of shelters nationwide that have a dedicated room just for wildlife care.
WRI, Hampton Roads oldest Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization, was formed in 1992 by a group of licensed rehabilitators, veterinarians, and other concerned citizens in response to the increasing numbers of wildlife in need of assistance and the lack of people trained and funded to help them.
Hello and thanks for stopping by. Here is a little about me and what we are doing.
We have been rehabbing for about 19 years now. We are doing this primarily due to the loss of habitat due to destruction of wilderness.
Virginia Aquarium Stranding Team
Marine mammals and sea turtles spend their lives in the ocean, allowing only brief glimpses into their intriguing world. Unfortunately, these amazing creatures sometimes end up on our beaches, sick, injured, or dead, or become entrapped and unable to return to their natural habitats. These events are known as “strandings.”
Photo Credit: Tim Solanic
View video and more at WAVY.com.
“We’re actually going to see an increase in safety for all of these drivers,” said Georjeane Blumling, Vice President of Public Relations for AAA Tidewater Virginia.
The new law is named after Darren Morrell, a 32-year-old Oakton man killed in 2011 by an elderly driver who turned into traffic. Darren’s Law makes driving rules more strict for senior citizens.
View the Legislation and notes at Virginia’s Legislative Information System.
Mature driver crash prevention. Provides for a course in mature driver motor vehicle crash prevention and provides that such course is an option for the court in adjudicating defendants. The bill also lowers the age at which drivers are required to appear before the DMV for renewal from 80 to 75 and requires that licenses issued to persons age 75 or older be valid for no more than five years. The bill contains a delayed effective date.
Would you like to use your experience to become a better driver and pay less for you automobile insurance? AAA’s Senior Defensive Driving course is a two-day, four hour per day class designed to reduce crashes involving mature drivers by increasing the understanding of how age affects driving decisions, and how these decisions can alter your risk.
Screen shot of construction cam photo taken at 1200am JAN1 2015. Happy New Year!
Ended peacefully.
SWAT, ambulances…. on scene happening now.
Kenneth Robert Allen (1961 – 2014)
View more of Mr. Allen’s obituary.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sandbridge Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Mr. Allen was the pedestrian struck on Shore Drive Christmas Eve.
We are so very sorry for this tragic event.
Our sincere condolences to all those involved, particularly to Mr. Allen’s family and also to the driver of the vehicle and their family.
Obviously there is more we can do to make Shore Drive safer.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 