Tragically & unbelievably sidewalks have not been installed on Shore Drive.

Hopefully the sidewalk that was required on a previous Conditional Use Permit will be installed next to the plantings.

The old Colley Marine property:

Email response from Chief of Finance & Technology, David Hansen:

…That assessment is an engineering estimate stating that at worst case a barge could hit a Pier, damaging it such that it may have to be replaced during which we would shut down one of the bridges (recall the Lesner is two) for 4 to 6 weeks.  Nowhere do we believe the size and velocity create the mass to collapse one of the bridges. This assessment was generated though engineering discussions to include bridge consultants. Should you have a certified professional engineer opinion that differs we would be very receptive to entertaining a professional discussion on the matter.

For those of you who’ve been asking, we have a couple open FOIA requests for docs relating to Safety & the Lesner Bridge.

In particular, Cape Story:

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Empsy,

  I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ for the support shown by the
Cape Story by the Sea Civic League last night as the 241st went down
Shore Drive. I followed the buses out and I saw people standing by the
road with ‘thank you’ signs, and it really meant a lot. I know it meant
a great deal to those Soldiers on the buses to see the support from the
local community. Again, thank you for all your support and all that the
CSBTS Civic League does.

Best,
Monica

Monica K. Miller
Fort Eustis Command Information Officer/Fort Story Public Affairs
757-878-4920 Fort Eustis Office
757-878-4928 Fort Eustis Fax
757-422-7101 Ext. 225 Fort Story Office
757-422-7706 Fort Story Fax
monica.k.miller@us.army.mil

Some fascinating reading in these final documents submitted to DEQ.

I believe this completes their application, so DEQ will more than likely be moving forward with issuance of a draft permit.

ID-DEQ-Mar08-Nov-07JPA-FinalDocs [47pg PDF]

Remember the solar powered flashing yellow safety lights that were going to be installed about 3 years ago on Shore Drive?

He said the money will come from a federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grant. The $40,000 grant is for eight signs – two in each direction of Shore Drive west of the park; and four on Atlantic Avenue.
Read & comment on Pilot Warrier article.

You know how the North End at Atlantic Avenue has a number of safety measures added to slow down speeders & Shore Drive has none?

Norfolk pulled $500 in city money to post solar-powered flashing lights atop speed limit signs at the intersection. Residents told The Warrior the lights helped slow drivers.

Contact Councilman Jim Wood at VBGov.com & ask him to make this part of Shore Drive safer.

Video at WAVY.com’s home page.
At WAVY.com.
At WTKR.com.
Video at WVEC.com.

Be sure to come out today for music, dump trucks & boats at the LBR&BF.

Several dump trucks will be on the site today in an effort to show the public how much space the vehicles will take up during transfer operations.
At a public hearing late last year, the city said the trucks would not disturb traffic at the facility.
Shuler has said that city records show 20,295 boats and vehicles towing them used the ramp facility and parking lot from 2006 to 2007.

Read & comment on Lee’s article at Pilotonline.com.

The Pilot is beginning a 5-day series honoring the fallen today.

More than 50 service members from Hampton Roads have died in the conflict, which began March 20, 2003.

The Iraq War, five years into the conflict.
In Remembrance – view photo & story of each service member, leave tribute & more.

Come on out to send them off! More info.

CityMarinaRevenueFOIA-3-08.pdf [3pg PDF]
EstimatesonCityMarinaRepairs-FOIA-3-08.pdf [10pg PDF]

Email was sent earlier to Dan Adams, Project Manager for the transfer station.
Contact Mr. Adams:
Official Project Page: VBGov.com

Hello Dan,

I just realized some items are missing from our FOIA request dated ~late February.

This particular FOIA request, and what was supplied, are located at this link:

As a previous member of the Shore Drive Safety Task Force, which as you know was created by City Ordinance, I am always concerned with issues affecting Shore Drive, the City’s deadliest road.

Also, as you are probably aware, there have been 4 deaths in the last 10 years a block from the western edge of the Lesner Bridge.

Finally, as you know, the average speed according to various traffic studies on Shore Drive is ~54MPH.

My questions are:

1. can we have the Traffic Engineering Report(s) that were done that supports the safe use of the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & tShore Drive.
2. can we have the Risk Management Assessment(s) that were done that supports the safe use of the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Shore Drive.

Undoubtedly these reports will show what measures the City will take to ensure the safe use of Shore Drive when loaded dump trucks are attempting to gain speed to travel safely with the flow of traffic, ~54MPH.

My guess is these studies were done back in late 2006 when the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp was selected as the best site.

Regards,

Tim Solanic
Secretary SDCC

### Please note: This email, and responses to it, will be posted at SDCC.info in our efforts to transparently share information with our community. ###

The 241st and 119th and HHD will be returning on the 22nd of April.

ATTENTION Shore Drive Residents!
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR TROOPS LEAVING TO KEEP US SAFE

Following a send off ceremony at Fort Story
scheduled to start at 5:30pm on
MONDAY MARCH 17th
  Fort Story Troops
will be Leaving by SHORE DRIVE at approximately 7PM
FLAGS – SIGNS-CHEERS- CSBTS
NEEDED TO LINE SHORE DRIVE
COME OUT AND CHEER THE TROOPS

Information provided by
Tracie Culbreth
Mobilization & Deployment Specialist
Army Community Service
Fort Story, VA 23459

phone 757 422-7311
fax     757 422-7095

Check out a new program from CBF.
Sign up form below….space is limited!

The new program we are starting in the Hampton
Roads area is called VoiCeS (Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards).  We have run it for a couple years in some of our Maryland offices, but this will be the first time outside of Maryland.  You heard correctly in that it is very similar to the local Master Gardener programs with more of a Chesapeake Bay focus.  The program is divided into two parts: An
eight-week course of study, with one 3-hour class each week, and a service requirement of at least 40 hours over the next six months to a Bay-related community service project.  The community service project can something the participant does on their own or with another non-profit, state park, etc.

The classroom component consists of 8 classes of about 3 hours which will be held at the Pretlow Library in Norfolk.  Participants are expected to attend at least 6 of the 8 classes.

VoiCeSPartIntakeForm.pdf

You may remember, Indigo Dunes submitted another JPA to DEQ back in November that has complicated things for them.

Here’s the documents they recently submitted showing some minor changes:
InDuTransmittal-Cover-Subfor-DEQ-1107-JPA.pdf [1pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-Deq-11-07-JPA1.pdf [8pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-DEQ-11-07-JPA2.pdf [7pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-DEQ-11-07-JPA3.pdf [3pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-DEQ-11-07-JPA4.pdf [2pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-DEQ-11-07-JPA5.pdf [1pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-DEQ-11-07-JPA6.pdf [1pg PDF]
InDu-SubFor-DEQ-11-07-JPA7.pdf [1pg PDF]

Email us to view the rest of the files.
Docs previously submitted for this JPA.

An editorial in today’s paper recommends starting a irrevocable fund devoted permanently to Chesapeake cleanup.

Quotes include:
“For all of the progress we have made upgrading sewage treatment plant technologies, we’re losing ground on impervious surfaces: rooftops, driveways, roads – all of which carry sediment,” said Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant Jr. “I would say we’re having a hard time now achieving the environmental protections to offset that kind of rapid growth. We can’t conserve land fast enough to offset some of the other stuff.”
Read & comment on article at Pilotonline.com.

As you can see, the site is a mess.
Goal is to make it:
easy to use
easy to search
more informative
more interactive

Current issues include:
broken links within articles
images not showing up within articles
some Category page links being broken
Search results offering broken pages Search fixed
funky characters & info within articles
and more…

Other details being worked on:
column width
page width
general layout
font size
Events Calendar
Mailing List for eNewsletter
Useful Links
RSS Feeds for automated news

The issue for the city, however, wasn’t about politics or favoritism. It was about how best to accomplish a task with the least disruption to surroundings. In this case, the dredge project ultimately will benefit boaters who cruise the Lynnhaven River at minimal inconvenience to those who use the boat ramp.
Read & comment of editorial at Pilotonline.com.

Here’s our original letter:
Original Letter [1pg pdf]

Here’s the response:
Response [2pg pdf]

If Saw Pen Point were to be used, Jones said, dozens of trucks hauling dredge waste would have to travel down residential roads, where children wait for school buses.

The Lynnhaven Boat Ramp offers more direct access to a major road, Shore Drive, he said.
Read & comment on article at Pilotonline.com.