Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook.
Thanks to Traycee for allowing us to share these!
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
February 6th 2015 update:
Lane Closure: Tomorrow, Saturday the 7th – between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM – there will be a single lane closure on westbound Shore Drive between Page Avenue and East Stratford Street. This lane closure is being put in place to offload the permanent steel casings for bridge pier #4.
Note: LANE CLOSURE FOR SATURDAY IS CANCELLED PER CONTRACTORDredging of Crab Creek was started this week and will continue for the next 3 weeks (complete by 2/28/2015). Just as in the last update, we advise boaters who are using this channel during this time period to be cautious of the dredging equipment when navigating the Crab Creek Channel.
Now on to the question everybody’s been asking: “What has been accomplished over the last two weeks?”
Actually, quite a lot – despite the cold temperatures.
Ø Installation of the retaining wall panels on the west side of the bridge (in front of 3556 On The Bay) has been completed;
Ø The installation of the new 16-inch water main in the western bridge approach has been completed;
Ø The first several courses of retaining wall panels along the entire length of the new eastern bridge approach (former Duck Inn property) has been placed;
Ø Several hundred feet of utility duct bank and storm drain have been constructed within the eastern bridge approach;
Ø Concrete for bridge pier column #1 was placed last week and forms will be stripped on 2/7/2015;
Ø Construction of the concrete cap at pier #2 has been completed and the reinforcing steel tied for bridge pier column #2;
Ø All of the foundation shafts for pier #3 have been constructed;
Ø Equipment and material have been mobilized to bridge pier #4 location and several of the permanent steel casings have been set;
Ø Three more bridge segments have been built at the casting yard with a fourth scheduled to be poured tomorrow, Saturday the 7th;
Over the next two weeks, you can expect to see a lot of activity on the east side of the bridge as we continue to build the retaining wall, install storm drain, and install other utilities in that location as we build up the embankment to the new bridge elevation. We will also begin installing the drilled shaft foundations at pier #4 and begin installation of the cofferdam around pier #3 in preparation for construction of the pier cap.
That’s it for now. Have a safe driving weekend!
-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
Screen grab of construction cam shot taken on Feb 6 2015 at 1pm.
Visit official website for all details.
Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.
Since then, more than 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life have joined the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds.
Simply tally the numbers and kinds of birds you see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, February 13-16, 2015. You can count from any location, anywhere in the world!
1. Register for the count or use your existing login name and password. If you have never participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count or any other Cornell Lab citizen-science project, you’ll need to create a new account. If you already created an account for last year’s GBBC, or if you’re already registered with eBird or another Cornell Lab citizen-science project, you can use your existing login information.
View OPVRS location at Google Maps.
You can schedule an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org.
Blood: The most common type of donation, during which approximately a pint of ‘whole blood’ is given. This type of blood donation usually takes about an hour.
Double Red Cells: A Double Red Cell donation collects the red cells but returns most of the plasma and platelets to the donor. These donors must meet specific eligibility requirements and have type A Neg, B Neg, or O blood.
Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Wally sez:
Dad did gold leaf on all of the vehicles, and I (age 16) helped him with the billboard.
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook.
Thanks to Traycee for allowing us to share these!
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
Medical emergency in westbound lanes.
EXPECT DELAYS
There’s also been break ins & attempted break ins in Lynnhaven Colony, Cape Story by The Sea, & Cape Henry Shores in the same time frame.
View video report at WAVY.com.
Lock your vehicles!
Also check out the recent article in the Virginian-Pilot that features Shore Drive resident Joe DiGeronimo. Click here to read the entire article
A New Jersey native and retired businessman, DiGeronimo, 70, became fascinated by the daily parade of vessels – and curious.
“I wanted to know where they were going and what they were doing for the community,” he said. “It’s a beautiful view, but what’s going on? Why are those ships parked out there? Why are they running by with the loads they are?”
Mark your calendars.
Have issues you are concerned with re: Shore Drive community?
Reasons to attend:
Familiar with the 2029 Strategic Plan for Virginia Beach?
View the PDF of the 2029 Strategic Plan at VBGov.com. (51 page PDF)
And for those who do not use Facebook, the COVB Official Facebook page now sports an image of the Brock Environmental Center. View it here while the photo is still there.

Screen capture of Lesner Bridge construction cam shot at 7am January 27th 2015.
For those who’ve been looking to get the law refined and tightened up to eliminate confusion, you’ll have to wait another year apparently.
From Virginia Bicycling Federation Legislative Update:
Betsy Carr (Richmond), Jeion Ward (Newport News) & LeMunyon (Chantilly) voting yea, while Chairman Garrett was joined by Scott Taylor (VA Beach), Terry Austin (Buchanan), & Todd Pillion (Abingdon) in voting to kill it.
View Official documents at LIS Virginia Legislative Information Center:
HB 2159 Pedestrians; crossing highways.
Introduced by: K. Rob Krupicka | all patrons … notes | add to my profilesSUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Pedestrians crossing highways. Clarifies the duties of vehicles to stop to allow pedestrians to cross highways at marked crosswalks.
Existing state law that will not change includes:
The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.
Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.
Emphasis ours.
Note crosswalk signal across Shore Drive. This vehicle has right of way over pedestrian crossing.
Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook.
Thanks to Traycee for allowing us to share these!
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
View entire proposed Bill at LIS Virginia Legislative Information Page.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Pedestrians crossing highways. Clarifies the duties of vehicles to stop to allow pedestrians to cross highways at marked crosswalks.
January 23 2015 update:
Friends:
On January 16th, 2015, a major milestone was reached on the Lesner Bridge Replacement Project – the first bridge segment for the new WB (westbound) bridge was successfully cast at Atlantic Metrocast, Inc. which is located in Portsmouth, VA. This segment is shown below along with the formwork for bridge segment 2 which is being match-cast against the first bridge segment. Concrete for segment 2 was placed on January 22, 2015.
The casting yard will quickly begin to produce these bridge segments on a regular basis – all 171 one of them for the WB Bridge. Needless to say, there is a lot of exciting activity taking place right now at the casting yard as the momentum builds on the project.
The casting yard isn’t the only place where a lot of activity is taking place on the bridge replacement project. Over the past several weeks you may have also noticed a number of changes at the project site:
Ø The retaining wall on the west side of the bridge (in front of 3556 On The Bay) has nearly been completed;
Ø Construction of the retaining wall for the new bridge approach has started on the east side of the bridge along the former Duck Inn property and is rapidly taking shape;
Ø The last of the concrete for the temporary bulkhead at the Lynnhaven Dredge Material Storage Area has been placed and the bulkhead is now being backfilled with sand;
Ø The painted and faded temporary pavement markings on Shore Drive between Page Avenue and East Stratford Street have been replaced with thermoplastic markings and reflective pavement markers;
Ø Utility work within the new bridge approach on the west side of the bridge is now nearing completion. The base course for the new roadway has recently been placed and compacted in front of 3556 On The Bay Condominiums;
Ø All of the steel reinforcing and formwork has been placed for the column at pier #1. Concrete will be placed in this pier column either Tuesday or Wednesday next week;
Ø The concrete cap for pier #2 was placed last week. The steel reinforcing for the bridge column at pier #2 is now being assembled;
Ø The last of the drilled shafts at bridge pier #3 was completed this week and the bridge contactor will be making preparations to mobilize equipment to bridge pier #4 which is located next to the existing wooden fender system along the Federal Channel (there are 9 piers for each bridge);
Ø An area of Ocean Park Beach next to the new retaining wall has been prepared to receive the 30 storage containers of parts for the gantry crane that will be assembled on Pier 1 and Abutment A of the new bridge. Once this crane is assembled, the pre-cast concrete bridge segments can begin to be placed for the new bridge. Placement of these first bridge segments is expected in late April 2015 or early May 2015.
A final note to all boaters who use Crab Creek for their access to and from the Lynnhaven Boat Ramps: The annual maintenance dredging for Crab Creek and the dredging in front of the temporary bulkhead will begin on or about Monday, January 26th, 2015. Navigation of the Crab Creek channel will be maintained, however, there will be a lot of equipment out there, SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL navigating your vessel around this equipment when using Crab Creek. All dredging in this channel will be complete by February 28th, 2015.
That’s it for now. Have a safe driving weekend!
-Chris
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.
If you’ve recently driven over the #LESNERBRIDGE you’ve noticed the toasty weather allowed Public Works the ability to get new, bright lines and reflectors added to the road both east & west bound.
Screen shot of bridge construction cam at 10am Tuesday January 20th 2015.
VB Connect, is a portal app that provides access to all official City of Virginia Beach mobile applications. Here, citizens and visitors can find city news, photos, hot topics, city job vacancies, contact information, and more. Residents can even find apps
And:
The VB Works app, which is now available and is powered by SeeClick Fix, enables citizens to submit service requests such as pothole repairs, traffic light problems, or bulky item pick-ups directly from their mobile devices. When submitting issues via the mobile app, residents can provide locational, descriptive, and photographic information as they see the issue in real time.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 