Impassible

Spanning from just east of downtown through to Ocean View, Norfolk's Tidewater Drive is one of the city's most well-traveled and poorly-designed thoroughfares, not to mention one of its most dangerous.  At over eight miles in length it connects nearly two dozen neighborhoods and is immediately adjacent to a myriad of residences, businesses, schools, churches, organizations, and public parks.  It likewise serves some of the most developed land in the city such as the Calvert Square area and Little Creek Marketplace.  Despite the incredible complexity of serving so many different needs, Tidewater is structured to do one thing and one thing only: haphazardly carry lots of cars at high speed.  Part archetypical stroad, part limited access freeway, Tidewater Drive is impassable in its entirety by bicycle. Its failures transcend cycling however and its design actively detracts from the neighborhoods it ostensibly serves.  Join NFKBC on a virtual photo ride of Tidewater to see where it fails and how Norfolk can fix it. (Note: bolded text link to further resources)

Tidewater's southern terminus, a massive interchange with I264, is a good indication of what kind of road it is.  I264 divides the city from Harbor Park, Norfolk Station (Amtrak), and a Tide light rail station.  Immediately following this Interstate entrance are the William H Ruffner Academy and a YMCA, separated by eight total lanes of traffic with a 35mph speed limit.  Would you feel safe letting your middle schooler cross this road?

The intersection of Tidewater and Brambleton Ave.  Including all four slip lanes, which prioritize car speed over safety, it takes up over 70,000 sqft of land.  That's more than a football field!  The newly-completed Market Heights Apartments are just a 260ft walk away from Tidewater Park Elementary School, if you were willing to let your child cross nine total lanes of traffic with no physical incentive to slow down, that is.

Two pedestrians wait to cross the intersection of Tidewater and Virginia Beach Blvd. Vaguely resembling the far-superior roundabout when seen from above, its layout is optimized for maintaining traffic speed with minimal stops. Many people with disabilities regularly cross this intersection due to the presence of a homeless shelter a few hundred feet away.

Study in contrasts: A proper multiple-lane roundabout (above) vs the intersection of Tidewater Dr and Virginia Beach Blvd (below)

Looking north along Tidewater Dr near the intersection of St Julian Ave.  Frontage roads tightly flank each side, allowing neighborhood traffic a moment of reprieve.  Cycling is safest on the sidewalk, a trend that will continue along most of Tidewater.  Total drivable road width is over 100' across!  An underpass further ahead has a dedicated walkway on both sides.

Looking south along Tidewater Dr near Rugby St. Businesses that used to occupy the remaining mixed use buildings are largely cut off from meaningful foot traffic due to the excessive road space, high passing traffic speed, and lack of safe crossing points.

(1 of 2) North of the railroad underpass Tidewater narrows to two lanes of traffic in each direction and a "suicide" turn lane. Sidewalks run right along the curb and are interrupted by bus stops, telephone poles, and many residential driveways. The speed limit on this stretch is also 35mph, with many vehicles observed well above the posted limit.

(2 of 2) North of the railroad underpass Tidewater narrows to two lanes of traffic in each direction and a "suicide" turn lane.  Sidewalks run right along the curb and are interrupted by bus stops, telephone poles, and many residential driveways.  The speed limit on this stretch is also 35mph, with many vehicles travelling well above the posted limit.

Preferred path: Because Tidewater is unsafe for cyclists many take to the adjacent sidewalks, but when the sidewalks themselves are decrepit alternatives are quickly established.

Looking south along Tidewater at its intersection with Alsace Ave.  Directly across the street are the Academy for Discovery and Lakewood and Christ the King Catholic School.  Any student traveling by foot or bike to and from homes east of Tidewater will have to cross five lanes of 35 mph traffic, potentially without the aid of a crossing guard.

Sidewalks typically offer some reprieve for cyclists along busy roads, but on Tidewater even they can be hazardous.  I wasn't expecting to skid out and fall on a stretch of damp sand, but when only cars are appreciated everyone else has to fend for themselves.

(1 of 2) End of the road (Part 1): The railway overpass just north of Wayne Creek has what ‘s best described as a detached double cloverleaf on and off ramp. There are no pedestrian crossings, sidewalk ramps or other non-automobile-centric freeway-style treatments for one to cross the bridge, nor is there the option of crossing the tracks at ground level. Regardless if you decided (as I did) to cross the bridge heading north you'll find the sidewalk ends leaving no continuous path for anything other than cars.

(2 of 2) End of the road (Part 1): The railway overpass just north of Wayne Creek has what ‘s best described as a detached double cloverleaf on and off ramp. There are no pedestrian crossings, sidewalk ramps or other non-automobile-centric freeway-style treatments for one to cross the bridge, nor is there the option of crossing the tracks at ground level. Regardless if you decided (as I did) to cross the bridge heading north you'll find the sidewalk ends leaving no continuous path for anything other than cars.

(1 of 3) If you (don't) build it, they'll (still) come: Well-worn paths along Tidewater reflect the persistent reality of non-automobile traffic.  Many who cycle or walk don't have feasible alternatives, either in route or mode.

(2 of 3) If you (don't) build it, they'll (still) come: Well-worn paths along Tidewater reflect the persistent reality of non-automobile traffic.  Many who cycle or walk don't have feasible alternatives, either in route or mode.

(3 of 3) If you (don't) build it, they'll (still) come: Well-worn paths along Tidewater reflect the persistent reality of non-automobile traffic.  Many who cycle or walk don't have feasible alternatives, either in route or mode.

The intersection of Tidewater and Little Creek Rd is a multilevel mess of concrete that highlights more of the road's pseudo-freeway features. A four lane underpass maximizes traffic speed by bypassing what would have otherwise been a cumbersome intersection (see the previously-mentioned Tidewater and Virginia Beach or Brambleton intersections). This effort is partially negated by the inclusion of equally-cumbersome on and off ramps that also allow left turns onto Little Creek.

An aerial view of the Little Creek Marketplace development shows the gaping asphalt-filled wound of car-centric development: a major retail area, surrounded by residential neighborhoods, rendered inaccessible by high speed freeways and more parking spots than buildings.

North of Little Creek Rd, Tidewater morphs into a run-of-the-mill stroad, though there is a median with greenery. For cyclists sidewalks sometimes offer a safe reprieve from traffic, but here the sidewalk either lacks accessibility or outright ends. The shortcomings of Tidewater's design, unlike some other roads in Norfolk, are not reasonably constrained by available space.

End of the road (Part 2): Tidewater effectively becomes a limited access freeway starting with the underpass intersection at Granby St to Mason Creek Rd. At this point all non-automobile traffic is diverted off route to local streets. This actually makes some sense as adjacent neighborhoods don't have to directly interact with traffic nor are any local businesses neglected by its passing through. Still this leaves cyclists and pedestrians with a less-direct transportation corridor and subjects residents to the sound of high-speed traffic.

A set of slip lanes feature prominently at the intersection of Tidewater and Mason Creek Rd. Yet again the road divides an elementary school from its adjacent neighborhood with multiple lanes of traffic, designed to emphasize speed and traffic flow over functionality and safety.

(1 of 2) Not all bad: between Mason Creek Rd and Ocean View Ave we see the very beginnings of a change in transportation priorities. A wide sidewalk, well buffered from traffic and large-enough to serve as a multi-use pathway, runs along Tidewater to its northern terminus, culminating at a brand new intersection. This new intersection is a major improvement: a single traffic lane in both directions, dedicated bike lanes, wide and well-accessible sidewalks, and a buffered middle section provide far more protection for cyclists and pedestrians than any other treatment along Tidewater.

(2 of 2) Not all bad: between Mason Creek Rd and Ocean View Ave we see the very beginnings of a change in transportation priorities. A wide sidewalk, well buffered from traffic and large-enough to serve as a multi-use pathway, runs along Tidewater to its northern terminus, culminating at a brand new intersection. This new intersection is a major improvement: a single traffic lane in both directions, dedicated bike lanes, wide and well-accessible sidewalks, and a buffered middle section provide far more protection for cyclists and pedestrians than any other treatment along Tidewater.

Impassible to exceptional

A vision of the Future: While grand changes to Tidewater are an exciting prospect, Norfolk could make highly impactful improvements in a short period of time with minimal investment. The four designs above envision a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly right-of-way that could be accomplished by repurposing existing lanes, installing steel ballards, and replacing redundant traffic lanes with dedicated bus lanes for existing transit routes. This profound upgrade could feasibly be accomplished within a year or less.

Tidewater's flaws are obvious and squarely rooted in its design, but what's less clear is exactly how Norfolk should fix them. Its location makes it a crucial artery for the city and the available space offers room for creativity. Given the multitude of needs served along the right-of-way the first thing to recognize is that Tidewater Drive should be a street and not a road (let alone a stroad). This means at a minimum lower speeds, fewer lanes, and more modal options. Most crucial however is that Norfolk not make "great the enemy of good" and make changes sooner rather than later. While large scale infrastructure projects are welcome and exciting, Tidewater could be radically improved in short order with little more than paint, signage, and various types of barriers. This method of incremental change, often referred to as "tactical urbanism," combines lower barriers to entry (relative to capital projects) with progressively building positive public support once benefits are realized. This effect snowballs into, over time, greater political will for truly comprehensive infrastructure improvements. Other cities in the United States and around the world have successfully solved similar problems and using them as an example would be a great place to start. In addition to those case studies NFKBC recommends the following changes to make Tidewater a street suitable not merely for cycling, but pedestrians, families, commerce, and even motorists. Truly a street for all: from impassible to exceptional.

Take Action

Contact Norfolk City Council here

• Call/email your respective Ward’s representative

• Include the link to this article and request their focus be on developing bicycle infrastructure in Norfolk

• Express your disapproval of continued road projects that aren’t accompanied with significant traffic calming, road diets, bike infrastructure, and transit development

Participate in the HRTPO public survey here

• Emphasize the importance of expanding bike infrastructure, expanding transit, and reducing truck traffic

Contact HRTPO here

• Include the link to this article and request their focus be on developing bicycle infrastructure in Norfolk

• Express disapproval of continued road projects (widenings, “flow improvements”, etc) that aren’t accompanied by traffic calming, road diets, bike infrastructure, and transit development

Share this article with friends, family and neighbors to raise awareness.