Laserfiche WebLink
<br />R-13":'47 <br /> <br />A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA AND THE SECRETARY <br />OF TRANSPORTATION TO DEVISE A PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW TWO-WAY <br />TRAFFIC IN THE 1-264 DOWNTOWN TUNNEL DURING THE TUNNEL'S <br />REHABILITATION WORK. <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Elizabeth River <br />Crossings (ERC) have undertaken the Midtown Tunnel, MLK Expansion and Downtown Tunnel <br />Rehabilitation Projects; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, as part of these projects, VDOT and ERC are closing the westbound tube of <br />the 1-264 Downtown Tunnel from Norfolk to Portsmouth for 25 weekends for a ten-month period <br />that began on August 9,2013 and will continue through May 2014; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, because of these complete weekend closures, Portsmouth residents, <br />businesses, visitors, and motorists have been severely negatively impacted; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Portsmouth's downtown business district has experienced a loss of <br />revenue estimated at approximately 30% as a result of these weekend closures; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the continuation of complete weekend closures could potentially cause our <br />downtown business district to suffer a revenue loss of over 50% which would have a devastating <br />impact on the economy and local finances of the City; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Midtown Tunnel is inadequate to handle the additional volume of traffic due <br />to the weekend tunnel closures, thus creating further impact on businesses, residents, and visitors of <br />Portsmouth; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in the event of a stoppage in the Midtown Tunnel, no reasonable alternative <br />routes remain for westbound traffic from Norfolk to Portsmouth on the affected weekends; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Portsmouth City Council desires to have VDOT and ERC develop a plan that <br />would allow the eastbound tube at the Downtown Tunnel to have two-way traffic on these <br />weekends; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Portsmouth City Council desires that the Governor of Virginia and the <br />Secretary of Transportation cause VDOT and ERC to devise such a plan; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, given the immediate and severe revenue losses suffered by downtown <br />businesses in Portsmouth, time is of the essence. <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, <br />Virginia that it hereby requests the Governor and the Secretary of Transportation to take all steps <br />necessary to expeditiously devise and implement a plan that would allow two-way traffic in the <br />eastbound tube during the weekend closures for rehabilitation work. <br /> <br />ADOPTED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia at a meeting held on <br />October 8,2013. <br /> <br />Teste: <br /> <br />City Clerk <br />