Click to view the 20 page document. (.pdf Version)
Click to view the 20 page document. (Google Document Version)
There is a lot of info in there that will affect your life in the Shore Drive community.
Topics: BSRTF Lesner Bridge - The New One Lynnhaven River Pleasure House Point [PHP] SDSTF Shore Drive NewsA reminder that tonight you can find out more about the replacement for the Lesner Bridge. If you use Shore Drive, you certainly know tearing down and replacing the Lesner Bridge is going to be a large part of your life for a few years.
The Official Page at VBGov.com has links to various info & presentations including one to SDCC.
Official CIP Page from The City.
Final Draft of Environmental Assessment. [220 Pg PDF]
If you have trouble opening any links please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or the .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
The Meeting is today, Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 5-7pm at Cox High School.
[Editor’s Note: I bet if you ask politely, especially since replacing the Lesner Bridge is a once in a lifetime project and will affect so many lives in so many ways, The City will have more Public Meetings at different times closer to the Bayfront Community.]
Topics: Lesner Bridge - The New One Shore Drive News Shore Drive Safety IssuesAn email from the City’s Engineer:
I wanted to let you know that we have confirmed the next public meeting for the Lesner Bridge Replacement project on Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 5-7pm at Cox High School. We should have a copy of the Environmental Assessment document (final draft) available online hopefully by Monday for public review. There should be an ad in the Beacon this Sunday (Oct 4) as well as Oct 25 regarding this meeting. Please let me know if you have any questions.
David S. Jarman, P.E.
Senior Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
757-385-4144 (direct)
757-385-4131 (main)
Topics: Lesner Bridge - The New One Shore Drive News Shore Drive Safety Issues
Lesner Bridge Replacement
The City expects to have the Lesner Bridge Replacement design at the 60% completion stage ready for public comment in early November. Please visit this link to see the proposal as it stood on August 25, 2009. [97 pg PDF] If you are going to be living here to witness the several years of construction it could take, you really want to spend the time to read the PDF link. It’s worth your time.
Some early comments include:
Residents of 3556 have observed that the proposal has assigned that the railings and light poles be blue. They would prefer that the color be muted to blend better with the surrounding topography. SDCC will post the date, time and location of the unveiling of the design when it is available, but in the interim, please take a moment to review what is currently in the works.
Editor’s Note:
The Editor views the design & construction of the replacement for the Lesner Bridge as an incredible opportunity to make this a model for public works projects by building in cutting edge green technologies. Working with FIGG, renowned as an international premier bridge builder, leveraging our unique local talent, like the Military, topography & geography, like the Ches Bay & Lynnhaven Watershed, Virginia Beach could leverage the opportunity of replacing this bridge into something great. One idea - the power for the bridge itself could be designed to be “off the grid” using, as an example, wave technologies. Local universities could use the bridge, under the appropriate supervision, as a “lab” to test various wind & wave energy production techniques.
Topics: Lesner Bridge - The New One
“The bottom line is the negative impacts on the northern alignment is so much less than the southern alignment,” Jones said. “We just had to make a choice.”
Read and comment at Pilotonline.com article.
Topics: Lesner Bridge - The New OneFrom an email:
City Council at it’s informal session today recommended to proceed with plans for the Lesner Bridge based on the northern alignment and the under grounding of Virginia Power lines. Likewise, staff recommendation was to incorporate the northern alignment.
Learn more, ask questions at next SDCC Meeting May 18th.
[Watch this site, & the eNewsletter for location of meeting as it is most likely not at the Rescue Squad.]
Read Letter from Chairman. [2pg PDF]
Topics: Lesner Bridge - The New OneGood morning!
Last night, SDCC had the privilege of hearing from Vice Mayor Louis Jones and City Councilman Jim Wood on a variety of Shore Drive issues. Chief among them was the question of whether a northern alignment or a southern alignment was most suitable for the replacement structure of the Lesner Bridge, should we be fortunate enough to have it accepted for funding from the Federal Economic Stimulus package.
The membership of SDCC voted to support a southern alignment for this project. A number of individuals had attended the City’s February 11, 2009, presentation and provided comments at that time. However, our agenda had requested that member representatives poll their civic groups and vote based on their association’s preference. One member abstained, on the grounds that the new bridge should have been longer and higher, or that a tunnel should replace the bridge, for the purpose of creating a completely open access to the Lynnhaven River and the bays therein. There were no votes in favor of the northern alignment.
We are deeply grateful that the City extended the comment period to accommodate our need to give our member organizations and their constituents the fullest opportunity to research and discuss our position. We are appreciative also of the time that Vice Mayor Jones and Councilman Wood devoted to addressing our concerns, as well as the City Staff’s contribution to informing Shore Drive residents.
Thanks to all who participated in this very successful effort to maximize civic involvement.
Sincerely,
Grace Moran
President, Shore Drive Community Coalition
Cc: Distribution List
City Response [update 2.24.09 @ 1:26pm]:
Topics: From the President Lesner Bridge - The New OneThank you for your email and for your continued feedback on this project. We will note the SDCC endorsement of the southern alignment as we work to assemble the comments from the February 11 meeting. Thanks again for your participation.
David S. Jarman, P.E.
Senior Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
757-385-4144 (direct)
757-385-4131 (main)
The comment period was just pushed back to allow for your input. Mark your calendar, it is now close of business February 25th.
Thank you.
Be sure to attend the CIM on Feb 11th!
I must say I’m impressed with the current Lesner Bridge Replacement page at VBGov.com.
Be sure to scroll down on that page to check out the drawings & PDF files of the current plans.
Thank you David.
Scoop:
Topics: Events/Meetings Lesner Bridge - The New One Shore Drive NewsAs a courtesy, I just wanted to let the SDCC know that the City is going to hold a Citizen Information Meeting (CIM) regarding the 30% design of the Lesner Bridge Replacement. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 11 from 5-7pm at Cox High School. A public notice should be in the Beacon this Sunday, as well as Feb 1. The Bayfront Advisory Committee has been notified and has asked for a quick briefing about the CIM at their January 15 meeting.
The purpose of the Citizen Information Meeting is to review the 30% design features and receive feedback on the two alignment options.
Please feel free to notify your members as well as those in your community.
Thanks.
David S. Jarman, P.E.
Senior Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
757-385-4144 direct
757-385-5668 fax
Sincere thanks to Linda of FIGG, Phil of Public Works of VB, Clark Nexsen, Randy Burkett-Aesthetic Lighting Design, InSites-Landscape Architecture, MAP Environmental and the entire team that put on the incredibly productive charette to work out the design features of the new Lesner Bridge replacement.
Also, special thanks to everyone who volunteered to stay & participate as long as they could in the new gorgeous convention center. The enlightening, fast paced & entertaining charette went from ~8:30am to ~4:30pm. Weren’t there? Shoulda been!
Quick shot of the book & Agenda pamphlet.
Shot of the constant depth modified cantilever construction with concrete box girder super structure that will have 9 piers - 150’ typical spans with a 225’ mainspan
Cross-section of the concrete box girder & pier.
This is a quick & dirty post about the process today.
We’ll link to sites of the Project Team & try to get as much on the web as possible about this exciting process - having serious input in the new signature bridge of our community.
As an example of the amount of detail that was discussed today…
We discussed at great length various elements of the new replacement bridge from aesthetic lighting, ensuring the bridge reflects a simple elegant design based on the Reflections - Natural/Recreational Theme, the pedestrian experience, landscaping… Did we mention you shoulda been there?!
Clark Nexsen & FIGG will no doubt present the experience of the charette & it’s results on the web as soon as possible.
Look for more info about the future opportunities you can have input including the public meeting schedule, alignment of the replacement, “the online experience” and more.
From a personal perspective, I really look forward to working with Clark Nexsen & FIGG going forward.
Oh yeah, funding for the bridge is currently only at the 35%-Design portion.
The ~$90+ million dollar project still needs help to secure 100% of the funding.