Safety Upgrades Coming Soon for Mediterranean Avenue

Mediterranean Avenue runs through the Resort Area, which sees a lot of visitors, especially in the summer. It's also home to neighborhoods and Cooke Elementary School. With high foot traffic and ongoing speeding concerns, this area is a top priority for safety upgrades.  
 
These safety improvements are the result of speed studies, police data and feedback from local residents. Thanks to funding from the City's Traffic Safety Improvements IV Capital Project (CIP 100423), the work is fully supported without the need for any additional budget.   

What’s Being Built  

Starting this month, construction will begin on these permanent improvements:  

• Raised medians – help slow down traffic and separate driving lanes  
• Curb bulb-outs (curb extensions) – narrow the street and create safer crossings 

These features were tested with temporary materials (paint and flex posts) over the past two years. Now, the community is getting the permanent version it asked for!

Construction Timeline  

Mobilization and construction will begin mid-May, and the project is expected to take about 90 days to complete. Crews will be working from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Work is happening during the summer to take advantage of school closures and to avoid conflicts with other road projects scheduled for later in the year.  

To maintain safety and accessibility throughout the construction process, the following measures will be implemented: 

• Lane closures will only affect one block at a time along Mediterranean Avenue, from Lake Drive to 16th Street, with two-way traffic restored at the end of each workday. 
• One lane of traffic will be maintained at all times using flagger operations during construction of the raised bulb-outs and center medians.  
• Access to all businesses, homes and the school along the corridor will be maintained throughout construction.  

Stay tuned for updates on the Mediterranean Avenue Traffic Calming Project, creating a safer, more walkable street for all. For details on other roadway projects and impacts visit VirginiaBeach.gov/RoadClosures. 

• Road Closures