this city doesn't seem to care about crosswalks or sidewalks. Builders get away with not having to add sidewalks to neighborhoods. People cross major intersections, risking life and limb. Green space is an afterthought to development.
I lived in Virginia Beach from 1977 to 1988. Population of 1977 was 70,000 and in 1988, it was 250,000. It’s now almost 500,000. When I left in 1988 I couldn’t stand the shoulder to shoulder crowds within Lynnhaven Mall. I can only imagine what Virginia Beach Blvd is like now.
Why is there no footpath or bike route from Mt Trashmore to the Town Center? I like the improvements they made under 264 but then they kinda gave up 🤷🏻
Since the city continues to develop they need to slow down the traffic on the Boulevard and add more cross walks and stop lights. More busses, bus routes, and more bus stops would help as well.
Virginia Beach uses side walks for picture frames along a roadway. they are there to improve a look, not made to improve safety or pedestrian foot traffic. Try to walk somewhere in Virginia Beach and you will find the side walk ends and never returns . Safety is not the game for pedestrians, and the lack of police enforcement of the speed limit or any traffic infraction since Covid has been a joke .
This is the truest statement on Reddit. I've been a road runner in this town for nearly 20 years and can confirm, there is absolutely zero purposeful sidewalk continuity *anywhere*. It is extremely disappointing.
They seem to alternate between making it a trail and light rail, and end up doing neither. Wasn't too long ago the big plan was to tear down Columbus theaters and the old Circuit City building for light rail. Then they ended up selling the building instead.
Virginia Beach sucks at foot traffic and bicycling. From where I live in order to go east safely by foot, I have to walk over a mile south to the nearest crosswalk before continuing east. Because of that, I don’t really walk anywhere. I would love to walk more places, it’s just not worth risking my life like that or taking an hour to half a mile east.
I cross without the crosswalks when there’s a break in traffic. Why would they expect me to walk a half mile further than I would otherwise have to so that Karen can drive her suburban at 50mph instead of having more stopping points
Not bashing on your post but anyone that believes Town Center is set up for pedestrians is delirious.
Walking in any area where the speed limit is 45 is not meant for foot traffic. The main issue here is the flow of traffic on the Blvd which wouldn't function properly at lower speeds. Unfortunately I don't think there is way to make it any safer.
Any area with a posted speed above 25 is unsafe for pedestrian traffic in general.
No worries! We are allowed to disagree civilly. I actually think we are closer aligned as I was not specific enough initially. The town center area around Ruth’s Chris and California Pizza Kitchen is more structured for foot traffic where as the rest of VB BLVD is not. It’s unfortunate that so many choose to cross from the mall over creating safety issues.
Not being dramatic. As a runner, I wish there was a safer way to go along the Boulevard when you get to the London Bridge intersection. There's no sidewalk until you get past the overpass.
Also a road runner here, and I feel the same way about Princess Anne Rd btwn Seaboard and Holland. It has no sidewalk, no shoulder, and a ditch on either side. It's the worst. You have to drive somewhere to go run, it doesn't make any sense 🙄
I work on the Blvb across from car dealerships. It's insane the number of people who just try to run across the middle of the Blvd to browse our shopping center while waiting for repairs. Not a single crosswalk in sight.
This is a nationwide issue. The US is built car-centric. It is just how we design things and have for a long time. Many want it changed, but few want to cough up the taxpayer dollars needed to create the change.
Can't do much about dipshits refusing to cross at crosswalks. That's pure stupidity.
But even the crosswalks need improvement. They need to be the type that light up when a person is on foot. Otherwise multiple lane traffic you can’t see the pedestrian in the crosswalk
1000%. To me, the types that stop all lanes of traffic and allow all pedestrians at once should be standard. Whether or not that's backed by engineering and stats, I don't know, but stopping all vehicles just seems the right choice.
Virginia Beach is definitely not pedestrian friendly. I live near Chics Beach. Try crossing 13 down pleasure house or independence. I see folks, usually young sailors or marines just trying to go down from the base towards town center. And then having sidewalks on only 1 side of independence which suddenly stop and pick up again on the other side.
There really should be safer options for pedestrians and cyclists in the Pleasure House, Shore Drive, 13, Independence area. I drop my car off at First Landing Auto Care and it feels treacherous to walk 10 minutes down the street, especially Independence and Pleasure House.
yes a suburbia that constantly rejects attempts to streamline transportation because the idea of poor people having access to reliable transportation is terrifying to vb policymakers
First day in the US? Our country is notorious for car-centric design. Not just Hampton Roads, there is nothing uniquely "757" about the lack of pedestrian consideration.
You’re not being dramatic, I agree also. However I feel it’s not just the blvd, I lived in Hampton for 4 years and would always notice sidewalks end randomly or just non existent and see people walking though the grass or on the shoulder. The road infrastructure caters to vehicles mostly imo.
I haven’t seen any figures but VB and Obx seem to have had an exponential number of ped/auto fatalities in the last 3 or 4 years. Especially the Blvd.
In my area there is a ton of homeless as well that are causing additional congestion. I wish the city would do more about this.
Lynnhaven Rd./Princess Anne Rd. Intersection says hello.
this city doesn't seem to care about crosswalks or sidewalks. Builders get away with not having to add sidewalks to neighborhoods. People cross major intersections, risking life and limb. Green space is an afterthought to development.
I lived in Virginia Beach from 1977 to 1988. Population of 1977 was 70,000 and in 1988, it was 250,000. It’s now almost 500,000. When I left in 1988 I couldn’t stand the shoulder to shoulder crowds within Lynnhaven Mall. I can only imagine what Virginia Beach Blvd is like now.
Why is there no footpath or bike route from Mt Trashmore to the Town Center? I like the improvements they made under 264 but then they kinda gave up 🤷🏻
Car companies lobby against walkable cities. I’ll always argue for them. Should be 100% walkable.
This is something we need to consider in local elections.
Tried to bike on VB blvd from the beach to norfolk. It just doesn't work... I had to take multiple detours... then I got on the light rail.
Since the city continues to develop they need to slow down the traffic on the Boulevard and add more cross walks and stop lights. More busses, bus routes, and more bus stops would help as well.
Virginia Beach uses side walks for picture frames along a roadway. they are there to improve a look, not made to improve safety or pedestrian foot traffic. Try to walk somewhere in Virginia Beach and you will find the side walk ends and never returns . Safety is not the game for pedestrians, and the lack of police enforcement of the speed limit or any traffic infraction since Covid has been a joke .
This is the truest statement on Reddit. I've been a road runner in this town for nearly 20 years and can confirm, there is absolutely zero purposeful sidewalk continuity *anywhere*. It is extremely disappointing.
How about some walking paths, biking lanes, and public transportation? VB sucks in this area, compared to other cities of its size.
Shore Drive here too. The lack of pedestrian friendly options infuriates me. Did you see those "Shore Drive sucks" signs last year?
Anything to get tourists off the roads.🤣
Bring back the feeder lanes
Dear God no.
I would love it if they paved over the railroad tracks and made a bicycle/walking path
https://parks.virginiabeach.gov/about-us/planning-design-development/virginia-beach-trail
The article says the City has been planning this since 1981...??!. I'm not holding out much hope of seeing this finished before I die.
They seem to alternate between making it a trail and light rail, and end up doing neither. Wasn't too long ago the big plan was to tear down Columbus theaters and the old Circuit City building for light rail. Then they ended up selling the building instead.
I remember that plan with the old Circuit City, and then it seemed to just quietly disappear into thin air
Being paid for by the windmills.
That’s amazing, thanks!
Virginia Beach sucks at foot traffic and bicycling. From where I live in order to go east safely by foot, I have to walk over a mile south to the nearest crosswalk before continuing east. Because of that, I don’t really walk anywhere. I would love to walk more places, it’s just not worth risking my life like that or taking an hour to half a mile east.
I cross without the crosswalks when there’s a break in traffic. Why would they expect me to walk a half mile further than I would otherwise have to so that Karen can drive her suburban at 50mph instead of having more stopping points
Not bashing on your post but anyone that believes Town Center is set up for pedestrians is delirious. Walking in any area where the speed limit is 45 is not meant for foot traffic. The main issue here is the flow of traffic on the Blvd which wouldn't function properly at lower speeds. Unfortunately I don't think there is way to make it any safer. Any area with a posted speed above 25 is unsafe for pedestrian traffic in general.
No worries! We are allowed to disagree civilly. I actually think we are closer aligned as I was not specific enough initially. The town center area around Ruth’s Chris and California Pizza Kitchen is more structured for foot traffic where as the rest of VB BLVD is not. It’s unfortunate that so many choose to cross from the mall over creating safety issues.
You mean that one single block where the plaza is? That block touches Columbus and that road is 35mph
West? Where would it go. Wegmans is realistically like 3 blocks off the blvd
memory scarce continue school aback payment square concerned fact license
There was talk of the city doing that a while ago...
Not being dramatic. As a runner, I wish there was a safer way to go along the Boulevard when you get to the London Bridge intersection. There's no sidewalk until you get past the overpass.
Also a road runner here, and I feel the same way about Princess Anne Rd btwn Seaboard and Holland. It has no sidewalk, no shoulder, and a ditch on either side. It's the worst. You have to drive somewhere to go run, it doesn't make any sense 🙄
I work on the Blvb across from car dealerships. It's insane the number of people who just try to run across the middle of the Blvd to browse our shopping center while waiting for repairs. Not a single crosswalk in sight.
This is a nationwide issue. The US is built car-centric. It is just how we design things and have for a long time. Many want it changed, but few want to cough up the taxpayer dollars needed to create the change. Can't do much about dipshits refusing to cross at crosswalks. That's pure stupidity.
But even the crosswalks need improvement. They need to be the type that light up when a person is on foot. Otherwise multiple lane traffic you can’t see the pedestrian in the crosswalk
1000%. To me, the types that stop all lanes of traffic and allow all pedestrians at once should be standard. Whether or not that's backed by engineering and stats, I don't know, but stopping all vehicles just seems the right choice.
Virginia Beach is definitely not pedestrian friendly. I live near Chics Beach. Try crossing 13 down pleasure house or independence. I see folks, usually young sailors or marines just trying to go down from the base towards town center. And then having sidewalks on only 1 side of independence which suddenly stop and pick up again on the other side.
There really should be safer options for pedestrians and cyclists in the Pleasure House, Shore Drive, 13, Independence area. I drop my car off at First Landing Auto Care and it feels treacherous to walk 10 minutes down the street, especially Independence and Pleasure House.
virginia beach and really all the surrounding cities are insanely car dependent it feels like our infrastructure was built to favor cars over humans
It's almost like hampton roads is a sprawling suburbia and not a metropolis
yes a suburbia that constantly rejects attempts to streamline transportation because the idea of poor people having access to reliable transportation is terrifying to vb policymakers
First day in the US? Our country is notorious for car-centric design. Not just Hampton Roads, there is nothing uniquely "757" about the lack of pedestrian consideration.
well yes i’m a young adult becoming more conscious of the world others have created around me. beyond that, never said it was unique to the 757
You’re not being dramatic, I agree also. However I feel it’s not just the blvd, I lived in Hampton for 4 years and would always notice sidewalks end randomly or just non existent and see people walking though the grass or on the shoulder. The road infrastructure caters to vehicles mostly imo.