First Warning Traffic – Tuesday Road Work, Bridge Openings and July 4th Travel Updates

BRIDGE OPENING:
Gilmerton Bridge 7:00 AM

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VIRGINIA BEACH:

Heavy Traffic Expected for July 4 Holiday…. Plan for It

​An estimated 100,000 people visit the Oceanfront during the holiday weekend. To facilitate traffic and accommodate the larger-than-normal crowds entering the Resort Area for the 4^th of July and the Stars and Stripes Explosion, traffic on I-264 eastbound may be diverted at Parks Avenue and redirected westbound on I-264 beginning at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4 until 1 a.m., on Thurs., July 5, or until traffic is flowing safely.

During this traffic diversion, the eastbound exit for South Birdneck Road and the westbound exit for First Colonial Road may be closed. Other routes into the Resort Area will remain open: General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach Boulevard, Laskin Road and Shore Drive.

Traffic near Mount Trashmore along Independence Boulevard, Edwin Drive and South Boulevard will also be heavy, due to the annual July 4th Celebration and fireworks show.

Special event parking will be $10, both at Mount Trashmore lots and at municipal lots and garages in the Resort Area.

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NCDOT Suspending Lane Closure Construction Activities for Most Major Road Projects over July 4

To assist drivers during the busy July 4 holiday this week, the N.C. Department of Transportation will suspend most road construction activities that can cause lane closures on major routes across the state.

Where possible, lanes closed for construction will be reopened from early morning Tuesday, July 3, through the evening of Thursday, July 5.

Drivers can check on the route they plan to use in advance by going to www.DriveNC.gov, and using the drop-down menus to check a specific route, county or section of the state. Or they can follow NCDOT on Twitter to have travel updates and alerts sent to them.

Here are some additional tips for navigating the highways safely during the holiday travel period this week:

• Leave early to get a head start on your drive. Travel at non-peak hours when possible.
• Stay alert. Even if work is suspended, you may encounter narrowed lanes, traffic shifts and lower speed limits in work zones.
• Be patient.
• Use alternate routes when possible to avoid traffic congestion.
• Don’t drive drowsy. For longer trips, take frequent breaks to remain alert.
• Avoid distracted driving. When drivers stop focusing on the road ahead, they react more slowly to traffic conditions and are more likely to be involved in an accident.

The July 4 holiday period is also when law enforcement will be cracking down on drinking and driving. The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) started its Operation Firecracker campaign last week, aimed at catching impaired drivers. In 2018, more than 130 people have lost their lives as a result of alcohol-related crashes in North Carolina.

Sobriety checkpoints will be in place in all 100 counties through Sunday, July 8, in an effort to get drunk drivers off the roadway for their own safety as well as other drivers and passengers.

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HAMPTON ROADS CLOSURES ON WATER CROSSINGS, INTERSTATES AND DETOURS July 1-7

Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel

• Full stoppages in both directions for up to 15 minutes at a time July 3 between 12:01 a.m. and 4 a.m.
• Single-lane closure east:

o    July  5, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

·         Single-lane closure west:

·         Single-lane closure I-64 east at 4^th View, July  5, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

·         Single-lane closure I-64 east at end of Willoughby Bridge, July 5, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

I-64 Express Lanes

• Full closure July 3, 9 a.m. to noon.

​Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel

·         Single-lane closures I-664 south from 26^th St. to the MMMBT:

o    July 6, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

o    July 7, 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.

·         Single-lane closures I-664 north from the MMMBT to 26^th St.:

o   July 6, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

o   July 7, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. 

Military Highway Continuous Flow Intersection, Norfolk: Exit 281A from I-64 east to Robin Hood Road will be closed as follows. A detour to Military Highway will be in place:

• July 3, 9 a.m. to noon
• July 5, noon to 3 p.m.
• July 6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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CHESAPEAKE TOLL INCREASE:

The scheduled annual toll increase for the Dominion Boulevard Veterans Bridge goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 1. Tolls for all vehicle classes will increase by 5% or approximately $.05 for most passenger vehicles ($1.10 with E-ZPass, $3.10 without). This toll increase is part of the multi-year toll schedule approved by Chesapeake City Council on July 10, 2012. The multi-year toll schedule, showing all vehicle types and sizes, is available at www.DominionBoulevard.com.

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