VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — On Wednesday, Westbound traffic shifted along Laskin Road as part of the Laskin Road Bridge Replacement and Widening Project. The Virginia Department of Transportation says the new traffic patterns restrict:
- Left-turn access from Laskin Road to the Norfolk Christian School Beach Campus and Virginia Beach Community Chapel.
- Left-turn access from the Norfolk Christian School Beach Campus and Virginia Beach Community Chapel to westbound Laskin Road toward Hilltop.
- Left-turn access from the Linkhorn Bay Condominiums to Eastbound Laskin Road heading toward the oceanfront.
However, some motorists and businesses are growing tired of the construction.
"The road construction is terrible. It's taking a long time for them [VDOT] to complete this project," said commuter Eddie Royals, who said he frequently uses the road to get to work.
"It's very congested, and I wish they [could] speed it up a little bit."
VDOT said the Laskin Road Bridge Replacement and Widening Project is supposed to remove the feeder lanes that run parallel to Laski Road and replace the bridge over Linkhorn Bay. VDOT said the project was scheduled to be completed in Spring 2023, but the department said utility conflicts and soil conditions beyond the contractor's control delayed the completion date.
The department said the project's new completion date is Spring 2024, but it could be delayed. They noted previous utility issues may still have the potential to delay the completion of the project again.
Restaurants like Wasserhund Brewing Company said construction affects customer access to the parking lot. "The only way to get here, especially if you're traveling from the oceanfront, is to make a U-turn," said Wasserhund Brewing Company's Executive Chef Jonathan Urena.
The chef said the restaurant's regular customers also choose other places to eat because of the road construction project. "There's no signage outside like redirecting people to the business," said Urena.
Meanwhile, one restaurant inside Hilltop Plaza said the construction is not affecting business, but they will be happy once the road construction is complete.
"I don't think the service roads should have ever been a thing, but I am greatly looking forward to it when it is finally done," said the General Manager of Pho 79, Chris Basham.
VDOT said the department recognizes the impact of construction on its heavily traveled corridor, and they will continue working with the project contractor to identify opportunities where the schedule can be safely and efficiently expedited.
VDOT also said if a driver believes their vehicle was damaged within the work zone, they can file a tort claim through VDOT's Customer Service Center.