NORFOLK, Va. — For cyclists in Norfolk, riding along Granby Street often feels like taking a risk.
“Almost on every single journey, I have at least one serious near-death experience,” said Michael Merritt, vice president of Bike Norfolk. “Dangerous. I have cars pass within a foot or so. State law is supposed to be three feet, and cars routinely buzz me much closer.”
Liz Schleeper, president of Bike Norfolk, shared a similar concern. “It’s difficult,” she said.
“Presumably, if I’m in the right third lane, an automobile would move over into the other lane to give me safe passage. That’s not always realistic," she told News 3's Norfolk Neighborhood Reporter Jay Greene.
Both advocates say relief is on the way. Construction is expected to begin this week on new bike lanes stretching from Willow Wood Drive to Admiral Taussig Boulevard near Wards Corner.
Norfolk City Council approved $822,000 in Smart Scale funding for the project in 2022. The plan removes one traffic lane in each direction and replaces them with bike lanes, some of which will be separated from traffic by barriers.
Schleeper called it “a watershed moment.”
“It’s going to unlock so much access to so many neighborhoods, and it’ll connect to bike lanes downtown," she said.
In 2015, Norfolk adopted a Bicycle and Pedestrian Strategic Plan, which identified 12 corridors where residents most wanted bicycle facilities. Granby Street, between Willow Wood and Admiral Taussig, ranked at the top of that list.
The corridor is also part of a proposed 22.5-mile recreational loop for cyclists.
For Schleeper, who has been riding for decades, the benefits go beyond cycling enthusiasts.
“Sometimes bicyclists come in spandex. Sometimes they come in jeans. Families, scooters, even wheelchairs can benefit from these bike lanes,” she said.
Merritt added that better infrastructure means more people can safely consider riding for transportation.
According to the City of Norfolk, the project also includes new pedestrian safety measures. The Department of Transit is designing and installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) at five intersections along Granby Street: Dumont Avenue, Elvin Road, Fife Street, Oxford Street and Talbot Hall Road.
A pedestrian hybrid beacon will also be added, which will stop traffic with a red signal when activated to allow safer crossings.
While some drivers have raised concerns about congestion, the city’s traffic studies show the changes are not expected to significantly impact travel times.
Schleeper said she understands there may be an adjustment period.
“When road work is in the middle of happening, it’s not quite like it’s going to be when it’s finished,” she said. “But once it sorts out, things pretty much roll as the traffic engineers predict.”
For advocates like Merritt and Schleeper, the project is the start of something bigger. They hope future plans will extend bike lanes from Wards Corner all the way to Ocean View.
“It opens the door for other people to get out on bikes that might not otherwise,” Schleeper said.
Click or tap here for information about the project.
