NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Construction will soon begin at a busy Newport News intersection to improve safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The city has selected a contractor to start work at the intersection of Warwick Boulevard and Oriana Road in the Denbigh area.
Loren Buchanan, who bikes through the intersection daily, experienced the dangers firsthand when he was hit by a car last month.
"They took me to the hospital - no broken bones - but I've been hurting ever since," Buchanan said.
The intersection improvements include major changes to traffic flow. A new median will be installed, requiring cars on Oriana Road to turn right onto Warwick Boulevard instead of going straight or left.
The project will also add pedestrian pushbuttons, which don't currently exist at the intersection.
"It's definitely needed because people come to this intersection without bothering to stop for the red lights because they're so anxious to merge in with the traffic," Buchanan said.
This project has been in the works for years. City leaders discussed the project in 2024 during meetings with area residents.
Some neighbors expressed concerns about the changes being inconvenient, but officials pointed to traffic data supporting the modifications.
"The higher levels of traffic volumes that we have on Warwick in the north and southbound direction, and the lower traffic volumes we have on Oriana, make this a good candidate for this kind of project," Lisa Simpson with the city said at the time.
The project costs just under $1 million and is funded by a VDOT grant. Construction is expected to begin early in 2026 and last approximately six months.
For cyclists like Buchanan, the improvements can't come soon enough.
"Almost anything would improve it, yes," Buchanan said.
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