NORFOLK, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from Nov. 18, 2021.
UPDATE: A Norfolk business owner is calling for change after a 5-year-old boy was hit by a car on Tidewater Drive at Northside Park.
According to the Norfolk Police Department, the incident happened on Sunday, Dec. 5.
Around 1:20 p.m. that day, police responded to the 8400 block of Tidewater Drive for a reported hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian.
At the scene, officers found a boy who was hit by a vehicle that left before they showed up. The boy was taken to the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters with non-life-threatening injuries.
Michael Merritt, the owner of Siren Skate Shop, called the incident "inevitable" and the street "a design flaw of poor traffic engineering." The shop is located across the street from the park where the crash happened.
"Luckily this child was not seriously injured, but with this traffic design, a more serious collision is inevitable," Merritt said in a Facebook post.
In his post, Merritt said he favored adding and enhancing crosswalks in the area.
Norfolk City Council members Andria McClellan and Tommy Smigiel both commented on Merritt's post. They floated the possibility of using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to address the issue.
Last month, the City of Norfolk announced it got $154 million from the ARPA to spend on community investments and wanted to hear from the public on how to spend it.
Some of the options proposed include at least $5 million to implement Vision Zero, a project to eliminate traffic, pedestrian and bike fatalities in Norfolk, and $4.5 million to transform Northside Park.
McClellan commented that she also reached out to the Norfolk Department of Transit to see what's in the works under the city's Multimodal Transportation Master Plan. Smigiel commented that he requested a traffic signal at the park's intersection.
What's in the works?
The Multimodal Norfolk project map shows the city is looking to construct crosswalks and curb ramps on Tidewater Drive at Norman Avenue. Right now, the project is unfunded and the need level is "moderate," the map shows.
According to Norfolk Director of Transit Amy Inman, the department is looking into a few options, including making sure there's appropriate signage in the area, a speed study and evaluating options for traffic control (e.g., traffic signal or rapid-flashing beacon).
Inman said the department wants to develop and present different options for traffic control to the community, as well as work with Norfolk Parks & Recreation on long-term solutions.
Inman also said additional funding would be helpful because of how pervasive traffic issues have become throughout the city.
She pointed out other areas the department sees as high-priority, which include places along Granby Street, Busch Street, Colley Avenue and Ocean View Avenue.
In the meantime, Inman encouraged both pedestrians and drivers to follow the rules of the road. This includes always crossing on the crosswalks, obeying the signals, stopping when required and being mindful.
The Norfolk Police Department said the Dec. 5 incident is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to reach out to the Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
For more information about ARPA funding in Norfolk, visit the city's website.