Safety Improvement is Made on Dangerous I-64 Ramp in Willoughby, Norfolk

Sometimes flaws in road design can be an accident waiting to happen. A case in point is the I-64 off ramp in Willoughby in Norfolk.

Recently local people reported drivers were going up the ramp when it was closed to traffic .

WAVY.com reported last week that the Virginia Department of Transportation has made changes to fix this dangerous traffic problem.

An investigation by WAVY’s 10 On Your Side filmed drivers repeatedly traveling up an I-64 off-ramp in Willoughby when the on-ramp was closed. Local residents said the problem happens habitually, and the transportation department has finally taken notice.

“We have witnessed people going across the median, the exit ramp actually, and then cutting across onto the entrance way,” Willoughby resident Rick Anderson told WAVY. “We’ve witnessed people manually holding up the gate to let people under.”

“Since it came to our attention, especially this past weekend when it was caught on camera, we’ve installed a new arm gate here,” said Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Paula Miller.

VDOT recently installed physical barriers to stop cars from jumping the median, new reflectors along the off ramp, and flex tubes on the median itself and on Ocean View Avenue, WAVY reported.

There are many intersections and other roadways in Hampton Roads that are inherently dangerous and where poor design has added to the hazards. You should always be aware of the dangers of these places.

Last year the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization detailed some of the most dangerous roads in the area. Eastbound Interstate 64 from Northampton Boulevard to Interstate 264, is one of the region’s most notorious for crashes. The analysis found that stretch had about 127 more accidents per year than would have been predicted for it, given the number of lanes, traffic volumes and other criteria. In 2012, it saw 221 accidents, including 73 with injuries.

For many years Holland Road at its intersection with Rosemont Road in Virginia Beach has been the most dangerous intersection in the area.

Hampton Roads also has a number of dangerous bridges and tunnels including the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) and the Downtown and Midtown tunnels. If you have been hurt in a crash caused by a driver who is failing to follow the rules, you may have grounds to file a claim against his or her insurance company. Call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.455.0077.