NORFOLK, Va. — City leaders in Norfolk want to hear residents' opinions about the Granby St. Corridor.
Councilmembers Andria McClellan, Courtney Doyle, and Vice Mayor Martin A. Thomas Jr. will hold a public input session on the Granby Transit Plan Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center.
City leaders want to begin a discussion about traffic, transit, and pedestrian safety along the Granby St. corridor from the Granby Street bridge to Little Creek Road.
It’s a busy stretch of road overlooking the Lafayette River.
Mark Gage, a resident of Norfolk, rides his bike along the Granby St. bridge weekly.
“I like the bridge. I like watching the boats back and forth under the bridge,” said Gage.
But when it comes to traffic and safety along the corridor, he said that’s a different story.
“Certain times of the day I have to be careful,” said Gage. “The speed limit could be reduced and they could put more lanes on this street to help the flow of the traffic.”
The speed limit is 30 miles per hour along the bridge.
Another resident, Peter Worgess, said a majority of the issues stem from drivers who don’t follow the speed limit.
Worgess said safety improvements are needed along one of the pedestrian walkways. One one side, the bike lane provides added protection to the pedestrian walkway. But on the other, a narrow pedestrian walkway sits inches away from moving traffic.
“I feel less than safe walking with my six-year-old daughter over this bridge, taking her back and forth to school at eight in the morning and three in the afternoon,” said Worgess.
He said the problem is drivers go too fast.
“The whole time, I’m trying to keep an eye out for somebody that might be coming over the curb,” said Worgess. “It’s on my mind the whole walk over the bridge, it’s a relief to get over to the other side. I'd like to see the drivers be a little more courteous of pedestrians, so pedestrians can feel a sense of security when they're out on the street.”
Wednesday night’s meeting kicks off the early stages of figuring out how the busy stretch of road could be improved.