VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is considering a series of improvements aimed at enhancing safety along Indian River Road, and they’re asking drivers and residents for help.
For many who travel the corridor daily, concerns about safety are nothing new. Mandy Boris, who works at Used Tire Express off Indian River Road, says crashes happen far too often.
“We see accidents if not every day, then every other day,” she told News 3.
Boris drives the road daily and says confusion among drivers contributes to the chaos.
“A lot of people don’t know how the traffic pattern works, and so it causes a lot of chaos. A lot of people are on their brakes, and overall it’s scary.”
She’s not the only one who has witnessed dangerous situations along the route. Earlier this year, News 3 anchor Kurt Williams came across a crash at the intersection of Indian River Road and Ferrell Parkway while driving home from work. He stopped to check on those involved and shared his concern about the ongoing issues.
“She says she’s doing okay, but I mean, this area—we’ve lived down this way for 20 years. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen wrecks here. It’s just unbelievable,” said David Womick, whose family member was involved in the crash. “I don’t know what the answer is, but people just get crazy; they pull out in front of people.”
VDOT is now evaluating several concepts aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving safety along the stretch of Indian River Road between South Military Highway and Indian Lakes Boulevard in Virginia Beach.
“Usually what you see is a more congested intersection will have a higher crash rate,” said Jerry Pauley, a VDOT Planning Specialist. “So a lot of times, if you take care of one, you take care of two.”
Residents who complete the survey will be asked to review and rank proposed traffic solutions at two key intersections: Indian River Road at Military Highway and Indian River Road at Lake James Drive.
“We’ll review the rankings, and that can have an impact on what’s chosen for each of these locations,” Pauley said.
The data collected will help VDOT pursue funding and shape a long-term improvement plan.
The survey is open through November 24. If you would like to take it, click here.
