VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Drivers will need to find an alternate route around Elbow Road over the next 10 months, as a portion of the road will be closed to traffic due to a bridge replacement.
For some, it's a word scarier than Halloween itself—especially when getting off work: detour. That’s what drivers traveling in and out of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake will encounter as the city of Chesapeake begins the replacement of a bridge that spans the spillway near Stumpy Lake and straddles the city lines.
The orginal structure was built back in 1975.
Earl Sorey of Chesapeake Public Works said, "The existing bridge is old. It had significant repairs after Hurricane Matthew in 2016. It's prone to flooding, so the new bridge will be taller, wider, and will have a higher channel."
On the Virginia Beach side of Elbow Road, work is progressing on schedule. Contractors are continuing to build the city’s own bridge, and a new water line has been installed in the area. While two projects are now taking place on Elbow, Virginia Beach officials say the only new impact is the detour.
Dustin Kwok of Virginia Beach Public Works explained, "The detour routes traffic around Stumpy Lake. Vehicles are currently diverted, making Lynnhaven the primary access point instead of Elbow."
Driving from Virginia Beach to Chesapeake the detour takes you down Indian River Road through Lynnhaven Parkway and back on to Centerville Turnpike.
As a result, thousands of more cars could use Indian River and Elbow roads as their primary routes. In the past, residents have expressed concerns about speeding on Elbow Road, and with the detour in effect, they are reminding drivers to slow down.
Dustin Schulze, a local resident, emphasized, "The speed limit is 35 miles per hour in this section of Indian River, but very few cars obey that limit. It's for everyone's safety—not just the drivers, but also the pedestrians and the children who need to get on and off the buses."
According to Kwok, access to the pier at Stumpy Lake will remain open while the road is closed.
