There was fear the bayfront community wouldn’t receive the funding for this too but we got it!
Route 35 Bayfront – The frequency will be modified to operate every 60-minutes. Route 35 will not provide service to Parks Avenue/19th Street. Service will be streamlined along Pacific Avenue. Route 35 will service the Edgar Cayce A.R.E on 67th St.
Hopefully HRT will market Route 35 as it seems most people have no idea this terrific service exists.
Equitable safety improvements for cyclists & pedestrians like contiguous sidewalks & bike lanes are coming to Shore Drive!
Read the news here where Vice Mayor Jones was quoted:
“I think the council is committed to getting the improvements done[.]”
* Remember when the powers that be tried making Shore Drive 6 LANES in the 90s?!
Remarkably, the then named Shore Drive Advisory Committee(SDAC) heard the presentation from the Shore Drive Safety Task Force at their April 20th 2006 meeting.
Highlights:
Here is the entire report from the Shore Drive Safety Task Force from April 20 2006. [LOL CITY OF VB BROKE THAT LINK. AGAIN. CUZ NEW WEBSITE. 🤡]
SHORE DRIVE SAFETY TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL 2006. (PDF open in new tab)
SDAC, now named the Bayfront Advisory Commission(BAC) has their public meeting today at 330pm at the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad where they will be grappling with the news of yet another PROPOSED delay in upgrading circa 1950s infrastructure in the “Gateway to the OceanFront & Virginia Beach” while the OceanFront continuously receives virtually infinite money for almost every idea proposed there.
Coverage of Shore Drive by WTKR’s Angela Bohon.
“Decades long controversy”
PUBLIC COMMENT on PROPOSED BUDGET TOMORROW
“Residents wishing to make comments during the hearings must register with the City Clerk’s Office by calling 757-385-4303 prior to 5 p.m. on the day of the hearing. If participating virtually, please also register via WebEx.”
Start here for PROPOSED Budget.
Thanks to Hank for Agenda!
First 27 minutes 30 seconds is discussion about why no presentation.
~ 27 minutes 35 seconds starts “Budget Reduction Options”.
~ 2 hours 53 minutes starts Presentation for Proposed CIP for Transportation Section including Phase 4 Deferred/Delay. Lower your expectations accordingly.
All you people who came out against 6 lane Shore Drive have delayed 2 miles of contiguous sidewalks in the 2nd most densely populated area in VB for 30 years.
The Gateway to Virginia Beach, which is located on the Chesapeake Bay, has now become a high priority on par with the Oceanfront.
Woo hoo!
Not to bury the lede:
Shore Drive is a major east-west arterial in the northern portion of the City. The existing roadway carries 38,800 vehicles per day with a current capacity of 36,900 vehicles per day. Without this project, the roadway will continue to experience vehicular, bicyclist, and pedestrian safety incidents, and restrict traffic volume due to inadequate stormwater drainage.
🟢 The City Manager’s Proposed City Budget at VBGOV.com.
A few highlights of Proposed City Budget include:
Economic & Tourism Development
EV-22-0001 $200,000
Shore Drive Study Update
This project provides an update to the Shore Drive Corridor Plan (2000) and the Shore Drive Corridor Design Guidelines (2002). Flood mitigation strategies from the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) for JEB Little Creek and JEB Fort Story (2019) as well as the bond referendum projects will be integrated into the update creating a broader, more comprehensive Shore Drive Plan. The Bayfront Advisory Commission will be utilized as a steering committee for the development of the update, public input, coordination, and engagement with the local community. The updated plan/guidelines will include: determination of existing conditions; development of a community wide public input survey; identification of issues and opportunities; development of specific land use recommendations by corridor segment; and development of architectural/landscaping/signage/public infrastructure guidelines.
To bury the other lede:
By the way, with this current proposal YOUR real estate taxes will probably jump over 10% based on recent new assessments.
Congratulations OPVRS!
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad is proud to announce that it has earned the Candid (formerly Guidestar) Platinum Transparency rating for the year of 2023. This puts OPVRS in the top 0.1% of nonprofits globally.
Check the news on their blog. Start here to DONATE.
Thanks to Hank for getting the info from Dan Adams!
Staff is hammering out final scheduling details on some pending Bay Beach projects, here is the skinny:
Cape Henry Beach – A truck haul is planned to haul the sand stockpile form the Lynnhaven Dredge Material Management area to west end of Cape Henry Beach by truck. Approximately 70,000 yards of sand will be placed along the beach starting at the Point Chesapeake Gazebo. Dune reconstruction will occur in front of the high-rise condos where dune erosion has been most severe. Bids have been received and contract execution is underway. Public Notices will be sent out in the coming days with specific project start and schedule information. Work should start around mid-March and run through late May. The Jade St. beach access will be closed and/or restricted during this work.
A larger placement of approximately 150,000-200,000 cubic yards of sand along Cape Henry Beach is planned to occur Winter 23/24 as part of the USACE dredging of the Lynnhaven Federal Channel. This will be hydraulic (pipeline)dredging and placement. This project is schedule to advertise for bids fall of this and be awarded and executed in early 2024.
Chesapeake Beach Restoration – This project is for the renourishment of Chesapeake Beach from Little Creek Amphibious Base to Baylake Beach. The first nourishment was completed in May 2018 placing approximately 350,000 cubic yards of sand from a nearshore shoal to reconstruct a severely eroded beach and dune system. A renourishment is anticipated every 4-5 years to re-establish the design template and add advance maintenance sand for anticipated erosion. This first re-nourishment cycle will utilize the same sand source as the initial respiration project in 2018 and will be placed hydraulically(pipeline). The renourishment project will be advertised for bids this spring. To incentivize the number of interested bidders, a period of performance of 300 days is provided to allow contractors sufficient time to schedule and plan the work. The actual duration of the project should be closer to 4-8 weeks. The exact construction schedule will be determined after bids are received. A public information meeting and communication to the neighborhood and civic leagues will occur. Current status: Plans are 100% complete, final staff review and Q/C is underway. Bid dates will be established in the next week or two.
Ocean Park Beach –A contract is being prepared for dune grass and sand fence installation as follow on to compliment the beach restoration work completed last spring. This work will occur in March. The next placement and source of sand for Ocean Park will most likely be the next cycle of dredging of the Lynnhaven Federal channel in 3-4 years. Method of sand transport is hydraulic(pipeline).
Please let us know if BAC has any other questions at this time. We will include them on any public notices issued for the pending Cape Henry truck haul and Chesapeake Beach project.
Thanks to Hank for the agenda.
PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
1) Encroachments discussion with Mr. LJ Hansen, Director of Public Works
Learn more about this fun event at OPVRS website.
The rescue squad will also be hosting other medical and public safety vendors, along with a BBQ truck with more to come!
The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required to attend, drop in anytime. The Facebook event can be found HERE
Join us on January 24th, 2023 from 4 to 7pm at the Brock Center 3663 Marlin Bay Dr
Learn more at Environmental Studies Program Event Page.
Start here to learn more about the spectacular ESP.
Bottom Line: Virginia does not have an easy or affordable pathway to dispose of unwanted vessels. This reality has led many vessel owners to abandon and/or sink their vessels in public waters creating a hazard to navigation, damaging marine ecosystems, and littering Virginia’s scenic landscape. Virginia has an opportunity to follow the examples set forth by Florida, Oregon, and California through establishment of a proactive Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP), which would provide a subsidized removal pathway and increase responsible disposals…
From our friends at Vessel Disposal & Reuse Foundation.
VDRF Mission:
Help waterways achieve sustainable health through removal of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels, public outreach, and education.
A VBFD spokesperson told 13 News Now that eight apartments, currently under renovation, sustained heavy damage.
Crews did not report any injuries or anyone displaced, at this time.
Thanks to Hank for providing the Agenda & the “Shore Drive section of the draft Commercial Area Pattern Book” update. “WPA is working on an updated draft and have told me they will send it over by next week, so hopefully I will be able to send you all an updated version of the document prior to BAC on Thursday.”
Commercial Area Pattern Book at VBGov.com. Several slides re: Shore Drive from draft PDF below.
Draft PDF including Shore Drive slides available here at VBGov.com.
Join us Saturday September 24th 10-3 at Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Located at 1444 Diamond Springs Road VB.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 