Locals divided on Virginia Beach intersection changes

  • 2019-10-19
Roadwork at a busy intersection in Virginia Beach is provoking mixed reactions

Where Kempsville Road and Indian River Road intersect, drivers are prohibited from making left turns onto Kempsville Road. They must go past the intersection, turn around, and turn right onto Kempsville Road. Drivers on Kempsville Road go through a displaced left onto Indian River Road.

Quoted by WAVY.com, residents like Aubrey Jordan expressed frustration at the changes in traffic while roadwork takes place. She understands it will take time and effort to finish the project, but resents having to drive the wrong direction and double back to get to where she is going.

Other residents, such as Reggie Whitehurst, are grateful that there is a flow to traffic while roadwork takes place despite the inconvenience. He commented that traffic was more of an issue before roadwork began.

Over 100,000 vehicles go through the intersection each day. In order to reduce traffic, the city is working on a hybrid intersection. According to Jessica Blackburn, a Virginia Beach project manager, the city had to be creative with the new intersection's design in order to accommodate the amount of traffic in the area. The new rules will increase traffic flow, she believes, since no one has to wait for others to have an opportunity to turn left.

The project is expected to finish next year. Cities often use poster printing to post notice of traffic changes in buildings nearby.