John Warren
The turn off Old Virginia Beach Road onto Birdneck Road every morning is enough to make even a glass-is-half-full person such as Marcy Oberndorfer a cynic.
All Oberndorfer does to reach Interstate 264 West is shoot across Birdneck and almost directly onto the interstate on-ramp. But there's a ton of U-turn traffic at the median in front of her that blocks her passage - northbound Birdneck traffic also headed for the I-264 West ramp.
"Their actions create congestion and frustration for those of us trying to turn left out of Old Virginia Beach Road," she wrote The Warrior.
It's not like this is the only way to get to I-264 West. It's not even the logical way to get to I-264 West.
Heading north on Birdneck, there's also an I-264 West on-ramp. But Oberndorfer theorizes that it might be too long and winding for some motorists' tastes. They prefer the relatively short I-264 West ramp from south bound Birdneck.
The answer, she believes, is to install a "No U-Turn" sign at the median, facing northbound Birdneck traffic.
The Warrior forwarded the issue to the Beach last week, and traffic engineer Robert Gey said he'll study the problem and get back to me within 30 days.
I'll let you know what the city comes up with.
Signs, no lights for pedestrians
More than three years after The Warrior first wrote about the need for pedestrian warning lights on Shore Drive, Virginia Beach has installed an interim remedy.
In spring 2005, The Warrior talked to residents who trek across fast-moving, four-lane Shore Drive and its intersection with Kendall Street to the beach. The speed limit on southbound Shore Drive drops from 55 to 45 mph just before Kendall, but there's nothing to draw attention to the decrease.
Virginia Beach traffic engineers talked about solar-powered warning lights as an answer and chased $40,000 in grant money to pay for eight of them.
Problem is, the grant had lots of strings. About four years' worth, before the flashing lights are - hopefully - installed later this year.
Recently, the Beach installed "Pedestrian Crossing, 1.5 Miles," signs on both approaches of Shore Drive, between Kendall Street and Vista Circle. It's a stopgap measure, said Mike Shahsiah, a city traffic engineer.
"I don't mean to be ungrateful," Cape Henry Shores resident Tammy Dodson wrote The Warrior last week, "but it would be nice to add a beacon/flashing light on those signs."
Shahsiah said the city is still filling out paperwork required to get the federal funding for the lights.
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Such a hassle
If it's such a hassle for people making a left turn off of Old Virginia Beach Road, then why don't they make a right turn, and make a uturn up ahead? All it looks like is this lady doesn't like waiting to make her left turn. Putting up a 'no u-turn' sign will not deter u-turners.
Some form of enforcement is required.
I come at the intersection from the opposite direction as this woman, I make a right turn and then slide directly onto the onramp. The people making U-turns there are doing it to avoid the backup on the other side, it's a long line and then people don't get moving even once they can and it's frustrating, so people make the U-turn and avoid all that. I know because I used to do it myself when I had to drive that way.
The problem is that those making the U-turns don't pay attention to the rest of us in their haste to beat their neighbors onto the interstate. I have nearly been plowed there several times. A timid driver would not be able to cross that intersection at all during peak times.
I mostly don't support a No U-Turn sign because I would no longer be able to avoid all those annoyingly obtuse drivers who do not enter the freeway at freeway speed, and immediately jump over a lane even though they're only going 35mph and nothing is in front of them that requires a lane change.
Makes no sense
Why do these people U-Turn when there's that perfectly good ramp on the right? Make that a No U-Turn + cop patrolling for the start. Yes, please keep us informed on the No U-Turn Sign.
Somepeopl think they are special
I travel that intersection daily and have seen no problem. If I had to guess the driver just dosnt think she should have to take her turn. When there is no traffic there is problem, when there is traffic that is a hard left turn. If the ocassional u turn is a problem there a lot of more dangerous intersections that need help more.
re: Definitely need a no U-Turn sign...
I used to live right there, and the people trying to make the U-turn used to screw everything up there in the mornings. The funny thing is that if they just used the authorized northbound Birdneck ramp, they'd get on 264 and up to speed much quicker. As it stands now, the southbound traffic on Birdneck that is hitting the ramp keeps all of these people waiting and waiting. Seriously, even if you get right on by making that U-turn, you're only saving 20-30 seconds, which really isn't worth the hassle.