​​​​​INTRODUCTION 

Representatives from th​e City of Virginia Beach and the study consultants are soliciting feedback from property owners, business owners and tenants, and other interested citizens on the results of the Multimodal Road Safety and Operations Assessment for Laskin Road.  This study has been performed at intersections serving the access roads and the mainline roadway along the Laskin Road corridor.  The study area includes all intersections along Laskin Road beginning at Chapel Lake Drive, extending eastward through First Colonial Road, and terminating at Winwood Drive.  A Citizen Information Meeting was held by the City of Virginia Beach Department of Public Works on April 18, 2013 to provide meeting attendees an opportunity to review and discuss the results of the study.  The materials from this meeting have been posted on this website in order to allow for further review, and provide all interested citizens an opportunity to comment on issues that are of most concern in relation to intersection design, traffic control, access to/from businesses, and multimodal accommodations.

 

STUDY PURPOSE

Many intersections along the Laskin Road corridor in the vicinity of the existing access roads present challenges to the motoring public, businesses, and various departments within the City of Virginia Beach.   These challenges include finding safe, efficient and appropriate ways to manage both vehicular and non-motorized traffic and access within this highly congested corridor.  This study has evaluated the existing access and safety at each intersection in the study area, and has identified countermeasures for improving the safety and operations along the corridor.  These countermeasures include a range of short-, mid- and long-term proposals for traffic control and access management modifications.

 

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & COORDINATION

The study area encompasses a portion of the VDOT-managed Laskin Road Phase I Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) project that is currently under design.  The portion of this CIP project within the study area (Republic Road to Winwood Drive) consists of an eight-lane divided highway, which will eliminate the existing access roads in the vicinity of the project.  This project is currently not fully funded.  The recommendations produced by this study are inten​​ded to be interim solutions for the areas along Laskin Road that will ultimately be addressed by the CIP project.  Study recommendations for areas west of Republic Road, which will not be improved with construction of the Laskin Road Phase I project, are therefore intended to be of a more permanent nature.​

NEXT STEPS

Any citizen with questions about the drawings or other materials on the website is encouraged to contact Carol Hamlin, P.E., Public Works Traffic Engineering in order to set up a meeting time for further discussion, during which time all materials posted on the website can be made available for additional review.  Written comments are encouraged and may be submitted on or before April 30, 2013 using the comment sheet provided on this website.  Questions or concerns raised at the meeting and through these comments will be addressed by the City of Virginia Beach Department of Public Works, and where applicable will be incorporated into the final study report.  Once this report is complete, staff will group selected countermeasures into short-term, low-cost projects, as well as various mid- and long-term, higher-cost “packages” of projects that can be developed into future CIP budget items.  As prioritized packages, these solutions can then be implemented throughout the corridor as funding becomes available.