Citizen Information

CHESAPEAKE TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES

On October 9, 2007, the Chesapeake City Council approved a resolution requesting that the Virginia Department of Transportation plan and fund several projects within the City of Chesapeake in its six-year improvement plan. Following is a list of those projects.

 

A.    NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM (NHS) INTERSTATE FUNDING

A-1 - I-64 from I-464 to Bowers Hill - Widen to six lanes including replacement of the high-rise bridge with a fixed span. Traffic on this interstate is already highly congested during peak hours and traffic volumes continue to grow. I-64 bridge openings exacerbate this congestion. Project should include the exit ramp to I-464 ( Dominion Blvd.) southbound.
Status: Future Road Project

A-2 - I-664 Widening to 6 Lanes - Traffic and congestion of this roadway continue to substantially increase each year. With the limited number of water crossings between the Southside and the Peninsula, these improvements are necessary to provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods throughout the region.
Status: Future Road Project

B.    NHS - NON INTERSTATE, STATEWIDE STP, OR STATE FUNDING

B-1 - Dominion Boulevard (formerly Route 104) from I-464 to George Washington Highway (Route 17 South) – This project will widen Dominion Boulevard to four lanes including a fixed span bridge over the Elizabeth River. Service on this roadway deteriorates to near gridlock during AM and PM peak hours. This road also functions as part of the hurricane evacuation route. The agreement allowing the City to administer the design of this project was executed on January 29, 2003. The City is moving forward with design activities; however, the construction of the project is not fully funded.
Status: Project Under Design

B-2 - George Washington Highway Transportation Improvements (from I-64 to and including the Deep Creek Locks Bridge in the corridor now served by Route 17 Business.) The level of service on this roadway segment has deteriorated to near gridlock during AM and PM peak hours. Additionally, the two-lane moveable bridge creates a severe bottleneck, further exacerbating congestion in the area.
Status: Roadway Improvement Under Design

C.    URBAN FUNDING - STATEWIDE STP OR STATE FUNDING

C-1 - Gilmerton Bridge Replacement - The current bridge is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. This structure currently carries in excess of 35,000 VPD and is the primary east-west alternative to I-64 in South Hampton Roads. The bridge is currently posted at 20 tons maximum for semi-trailers and 14 tons maximum for single unit trucks. The maximum allowable weight limit for tractor trailers in the State of Virginia is as high as 40 tons.
Status: Project Under Design

C-2 - Portsmouth Boulevard – This project will widen the existing two-lane road to four lanes from Jolliff Road to the Suffolk city line. Portsmouth Boulevard serves as the main arterial roadway connecting the Cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Portsmouth. Since the construction of I-664, this area has been one of the fastest growing areas in the region. Additional capacity is necessary to accommodate the growing traffic demand along this corridor.
Status: Project Under Design

C-3 - Greenbrier Parkway – This project will construct a third lane northbound from Volvo Parkway to Eden Way. Significant congestion occurs in this segment of road due to lack of capacity to handle heavy commercial traffic. Additional capacity is required to reduce travel and intersection delays.
Status: Project Under Design

C-4 - Battlefield Boulevard / Hanbury Road Intersection Improvements - The Chesapeake Expressway opened to traffic in May of 2001. Since its opening, traffic on the Expressway has far exceeded initial projections. The southbound off-ramp from the Expressway onto Hanbury Road (westbound) serves as the major exit for traffic bound for S. Battlefield Boulevard. The existing ramp and downstream intersection of Hanbury Road & S. Battlefield Boulevard can not adequately serve the current traffic demand. Improvements are necessary to address both capacity and safety deficiencies.
Status: Project Under Design

C-5 - Mt. Pleasant Road, Phase 1 – This project will widen the existing two-lane road to four lanes from the Chesapeake Expressway to Etheridge Road. Traffic volumes on the road create significant congestion during peak hours; lack of turn lanes and shoulders create significant backups due to left turning vehicles, school buses and refuse collection.
Status:Project Under Design by VDOT

C-6 - Mt. Pleasant Road, Phase 2 – This project will widen the existing two-lane road to four lanes from Etheridge Road to Centerville Turnpike. Traffic volumes have grown to the point that additional capacity is necessary.
Status: Future Road Project

C-7 - Hanbury Road – This project will widen the existing two-lane road to four lanes from Johnstown Road to Battlefield Boulevard.  Hanbury road serves as an east-west connector between Johnstown Road and Battlefield Boulevard.  It also serves as the sole access to Great Bridge High School and Great Bridge Intermediate School.  Congestion on this roadway has reached the point where additional capacity is necessary.
Status: Future Road Project

C-8 - Mt. Pleasant Road / GreatBridge By-Pass Interchange Improvements - - Congestion has increased to the point where the movement onto and off of the Great Bridge By-pass is blocking the through lanes on both the By-pass and Mt. Pleasant Road.  Improvements are necessary to enhance both safety and capacity in the area.
Status: Future Road Project

C-9 - Woodlake Drive Extended –The extremely heavy volume of traffic at the intersection of Woodlake Drive and Greenbrier Parkway creates significant congestion, particularly during the morning and afternoon peak periods.  The extension of Woodlake Drive to Battlefield Boulevard will provide an alternate route to I-64, thus relieving the Greenbrier Parkway.
Status: Future Road Project

C-10 - S. Military Highway Corridor Improvements - The S. Military Highway Corridor Study proposes that Military Highway be reconfigured into a roadway that balances local needs with regional needs.  Improvements include the widening of Military Highway to six lanes, installation of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, and the redirection of truck traffic once the Gilmerton Bridge is replaced.
Status: Future Road Project

C-11 - Military Highway – This project will widen the existing segment from Allison Drive to the east City line from four lanes to six lanes.  Volumes have increased on this important inter-city connector to the point that additional capacity is required to reduce congestion.
Status: Future Road Project

C-12 - Triple Decker Bridge Rehabilitation - This interchange of U.S. Route 13, U.S. Route 460, and the Norfolk-Southern rail line was constructed in 1948 and is reaching the end of its service life.  Rehabilitation is necessary to avoid a complete replacement in the future.
Status: Future Road Project

D.    UNDESIGNATED FUNDING

D-1 - Great Dismal Swamp Trail - The construction of a new U.S. Route 17 parallel and to the east of the existing Route 17 alignment presents a unique opportunity for the conversion of the existing roadway to a recreational trail facility. This project will convert approximately 8 miles of existing Route 17 to a recreational trail and will also construct approximately 5.5 miles of a 10’ off-road path terminating at the intersection of George Washington Highway and Cedar Road.
Status: Project Under Design/Phase 1 Construction

D-2 - Rail Line Relocation to the Western Freeway Median –The construction of the new Maersk Marine Terminals along the Western Freeway in the City of Portsmouth will generate substantial rail traffic along the existing Commonwealth rail line that runs through Portsmouth and the Western Branch area of Chesapeake.  The City of Portsmouth received $15 million in the SAFETEA-LU Federal Transportation Bill for the relocation of this rail line.  It is also proposed that the existing Commonwealth rail line be considered for conversion to a trail through the State’s Rails to Trails program. Click here for a more detailed description of this project.
Status: Project Under Design

D-3 - Jordan Bridge (Route 337) Replacement/Toll Study - The life of the existing structure built in 1928 was extended with a major rehabilitation in 1996 funded by the City.  Continued deterioration of this aging structure will necessitate closure in the next several years with no current funding available for the replacement.  With the limited number of inter-city crossings of the Elizabeth River, the project has regional significance.
Status: Future Road Project

D-4 - Centerville Turnpike Bridge Replacement Feasibility Study - The existing drawbridge was constructed in 1955.   Traffic along the portion of Centerville Turnpike has increased to a point where additional capacity is necessary.  Heavy traffic volumes are experienced in the a.m. and p.m. peak hours and is compounded by hourly bridge openings.
Status: Future Road Project

D-5 - Chesapeake Airport Access Road - This roadway would link the Chesapeake Airport on West Road directly to the new Route 17 alignment, significantly improving access to the airport.
Status: Future Road Project