VDOT is offering a $1.5 million incentive to accelerate the widening of Laskin Road

VIRGINIA BEACH – State transportation officials are offering a $1.5 million incentive to expedite improvements to Laskin Road, a project that is taking longer than expected and causing numerous headaches for residents and business owners.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is widening the road to an eight-lane highway with sidewalks and replacing the 1938 Laskin Road bridge. The work, which includes removing the infamous feeder lanes, began in 2019 and was originally scheduled to be completed last year.

“This has been a very difficult project for a lot of people as they realize we’ve been here a lot longer than originally anticipated,” Chris Hall, VDOT engineer, told the City Council on Tuesday. “We are very close to the finish.”

Ground conditions and utility conflicts have pushed back the 2-mile project timeline, he said.

Some of the toughest parts of construction took their toll on businesses already sidelined by the pandemic. To reduce the impact, VDOT is offering the contractor a financial incentive if work in the Hilltop shopping area is completed before the holidays, Hall said. The accelerated incentive section includes the western edge of Republic Road to Hilltop North and along First Colonial from Laurel Lane to Interstate 264.

“VDOT is trying to help them out,” said Councilman Worth Remick, who met with representatives from the transportation department and the contractor on site this spring after residents of an apartment complex raised concerns about access to their building.

The total project cost is approximately $150 million, of which the city will finance $42.7 million. Allan Myers, Inc. of Pennsylvania is the contractor.

VDOT will pay $1.5 million to the contractor when work in the stimulated sections is completed by Nov. 1. After November 1, this amount will be reduced by just over $65,000 for each day the work is not completed until November 24. , a VDOT spokesperson said. The incentive is financed from the total construction budget of the project.

Laskin Road, part of Route 58, is busy with motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike. A 3-meter-wide path for shared use will be constructed along the north side of the road and a 1.5-meter-wide sidewalk will be built along the south side. According to VDOT, the outdoor lane is wide enough for bicycles.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, [email protected]

Laskin Road Bridge Replacement and Widening Project

Work that must be completed in November:Roadway, central reservation, curb and gutterBusiness entrances, storm and sewerage works and traffic lights

Remaining work to be completed by spring 2025:Replacement of the bridge eastbound over Linkhorn BayEastern part of the project corridorCentre lighting along the project corridor

Source: Virginia Department of Transportation