ImagineVB: How Would You Improve Your Commute?

Today, we can traverse our large city fairly quickly thanks to long-term transportation planning. If you’re new to Virginia Beach, you might not know that once upon a time in the not-too-distant past, Holland Road was just a single-lane in each direction from Dam Neck Road to Nimmo Parkway. In fact, Nimmo Parkway didn’t connect General Booth Boulevard and the Municipal Center until 2014 and Lynnhaven Parkway didn’t connect to Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake until about 2016.

Capital improvement projects are currently underway on Elbow Road, Centerville Turnpike, Laskin Road and at other locations across the city. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded nearly $15 million to Parks & Recreation to begin work on VB Trail – a shared-use pathway that traverses the old Norfolk Southern right-of-way which runs from Virginia Beach’s western border with Norfolk to the Oceanfront.

But what else needs to be done? City leaders are looking even further into the future and embarking on an effort to make more improvements in how we get around town and they are asking residents to provide input on the future of transportation in Virginia Beach by completing a five-minute, 19-question survey online at SpeakUpVB.com/TransportationPlan.

This effort is a part of the Planning Department’s update to the City’s Master Transportation Plan as a part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. These plans look 20 to 25 years into the future and are designed to guide capital improvement projects for roadways, bike paths and more. The plan will help guide transportation policy by evaluating existing conditions around the city and considering future transportation needs.

How can we make Virginia Beach a more walkable and bikeable city with better transit options? Your feedback will be used to inform discussions about important transportation issues and how they impact quality of life for all residents. Take the survey now through March 8, 2024.