SUFFOLK, Va. — A Suffolk resident is raising concerns about worsening traffic congestion and speeding along Bridge Road, particularly near the Godwin Bridge.
Chuck Rowley, who has lived in Suffolk for nearly nine years, said the road narrows from four lanes to two at the bridge, creating a bottleneck during rush hour that has worsened over time.
"The traffic continues to get worse and worse," Rowley said.
I met Rowley during Thursday's "Let's Talk" event in Suffolk. He said he loves the city, but the area's rapid growth has impacted the daily commute.
"Especially with all the that we now have going on in the area. Condos, townhouses, single family homes, the traffic is picking up all the time and you kind of notice that out here routinely and then when you have an incident it just becomes unbearable," Rowley said.
Rowley noted that if there is an accident on the Godwin Bridge, traffic backs up for hours. Additionally, if there is a wreck at the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel or the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, most of that traffic diverts to the Bridge Road area.
He suggested one solution, although expensive, could be adding additional lanes to the bridge.
"It would really behoove the city and whoever the planners are to look at, what needs to be done to address the fact that this is a choke point for a major thoroughfare," Rowley said.
I reached out to the city about these concerns but did not hear back before my deadline.
Another issue Rowley highlighted is speeding. The speed limit on Bridge Road sits at 45 mph.
"People are going too fast on this road, have been for a long time that’s not a new thing, but it hasn’t gone away yet either," Rowley said.
I reached out to the Suffolk Police Department regarding the speeding concerns.
"Suffolk police are aware of speeding on Bridge Road. Officers patrol daily, with directed enforcement in the 2200 block, and speed signs are in use. Residents with concerns can call Precinct 2," the department said.
Ultimately, Rowley hopes city officials will take a closer look at the traffic situation.
"So we’re enjoying it, it's just I think there some issues that city folks and city planners could address that would help us out over here," Rowley said.
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