PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Riding along Interstate 264 in Portsmouth is a part of the daily routine for many drivers. Now, city officials are taking a closer look at a specific stretch of the interstate. They’re conducting an improvement study at the Victory and Frederick Boulevards exits.
“The study came out of a traffic impact study that the casino did when they were coming in to get their rezoning,” Comprehensive and Strategic Planning Manager Brian Swets told 13News Now.
Swets said that study noted traffic at Victory Boulevard couldn’t handle future development. Swets said they now want to hear from drivers. Portsmouth resident Charlie Wilkins said he has no problem with those interchanges.
“I haven’t noticed anything out of the ordinary," he said. "So, it seems to be fine for me.”
However, Virginia Beach resident Aretee Santos said it’s common to see congestion near Frederick Boulevard.
“I see where cars are like weaving in and out to try to get onto the interstate or to exit off which I think is crazy," she said. "You got to be really cautious.”
She said she also has concerns about pedestrian safety.
“I’ve seen a couple of guys trying to hustle to get across the street," Santos said. "I was thinking there should be a crosswalk or something.”
That’s just some of the feedback city staff are looking for. A survey is out right now asking about some of the issues you normally have at the Victory Boulevard and Frederick Boulevard interchanges.
“The city has also known for quite a while that we have problems with our Frederick Boulevard interchange.” Swets said. “A lot of it is from the railroad crossing that’s right there.”
Swets said the nearly $1.3 million study started in September 2023.
He said the survey will be available for a few more weeks. Then, he and his team will present different design options. Swets hopes to have new design recommendations ready by the end of this September.
“That study could be used to help us apply for construction funding to do whatever the report ends up recommending,” Swets said.