Click below for a real-time look at road conditions on Hampton Roads’ highways.

http://www.wavy.com/subindex/traffic/traffic_cams

Also on this page, the latest road hazards and accidents from 511 Virginia and the Virginia Department of Transportation. Bridge lift activity is also updated daily and watch for stories that impact your morning and evening commute. You can also access this page from www.wavy.com. Just click on the “Traffic” tab.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, beginning on Friday, Sept. 14, crews will close multiple lanes at a variety of water crossings. Closures at the Interstate 64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel eastbound lanes and the Route 17 James River Bridge southbound lanes will be in place until Monday, Sept. 17, at 5 a.m.

VDOT says paving work will close those I-64 EB lanes at the HRBT this weekend as well as for the next THREE weekends.

Drivers should use the Interstate 664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as an alternate route. A signed detour will be in place. The following weekends will also have closures:

* Friday, Sept. 14, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Sept. 17, at 5 a.m.
· Friday, Sept. 21, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Sept. 24, at 5 a.m.

· Friday, Sept. 28, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday Oct. 1, at 5 a.m. (Rain Date)

The Route 17 James River Bridge southbound lanes will close for five consecutive weekends so crews can begin replacing the bridge grid deck. Beginning on Friday, Sept. 14, crews will close all southbound lanes. Upon completion of work on the southbound lanes, crews will close the northbound lanes for four consecutive weekends. Motorists are advised to use the MMMBT as an alternate route. The weekend closure schedule is as follows:

· Friday, Sept. 14, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Sept. 17, at 5 a.m.

· Friday, Sept. 21, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Sept. 24, at 5 a.m.

· Friday, Sept. 28, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Oct. 1, at 5 a.m.

· Friday, Oct. 5, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Oct. 8, at 5 a.m.

· Friday, Oct. 12, beginning at 9 p.m. until Monday, Oct.15, at 5 a.m.

This road work will take place, weather permitting.

Midtown Tunnel drivers will see alternating eastbound and westbound closures from Tuesday, June 26 through Thursday, June 28, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. That means one lane will remain open while VDOT crews stop traffic to let the other direction travel through the tube.

The Downtown Tunnel will remain open, with lanes blocked for maintenance in the overnight hours.

I-264 Downtown Tunnel West – Monday, June 25, through Thursday, June 28, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – alternating lane closures
I-264 Downtown Tunnel West – Monday, June 25, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – single, right lane closure
I-264 Downtown Tunnel East – Tuesday, June 26, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – single, right lane closure
I-264 Downtown Tunnel West – Wednesday, June 27, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – single, left lane closure
I-264 Downtown Tunnel East – Thursday, June 28, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – single, left lane closure

HAMPTON
BLACKBEARD PIRATE FESTIVAL STREET CLOSURES
The annual Blackbeard Pirate Festival is this weekend, June 1-3! The following streets will be closed for the event: Queensway from Mill Point Park to King Street will close Friday, June 1 at 5 a.m. Eaton Street from Queensway to Mill Point Drive will close Saturday, June 2 at 5 a.m. Both streets will reopen Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. For more information, click here.

VIRGINIA BEACH
PATRIOTIC FESTIVAL
Following is the closure schedule for Saturday and Sunday :
Atlantic Ave. from 17th to 5th Street:
*From 9 a.m.-3:30pm – local through traffic only will be allowed on Atlantic Ave. from 17th to 5th Street
*From 3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. – no vehicular traffic will be allowed on Atlantic Ave from 17th to 5th street
Click here for more information.
Streets will reopen at approximately 7 p.m.
This time is subject to change depending on crowd size.

Tide gate testing is set for the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Saturday, May 19 from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. The Virginia Department of Transportation tests the tide gates at the I-64 HRBT every six months, generally prior to and just after the hurricane season.

Drivers should expect traffic stops of up to 30 minutes as each gate (I-64 EB & WB) is tested. During this test, the tide gates will be lowered and raised giving crews an opportunity to examine the functionality of the system and the roadway drain valves.

You can use the Monitor Merrimac as an alternate.

VDOT will also close the Interstate 264 Berkley Bridge, westbound only, Sunday, May 20, from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for grid-deck lock bar maintenance. Eastbound traffic is not impacted by the closure.

Detour signs will be in place during the Berkley Bridge closure, or you can take the Route 58 Midtown Tunnel as an alternate.

But be aware, another road work project may get in your way. Gilmerton Bridge along Military Highway in Chesapeake closes at 8 o’clock tonight and will reopen by 5 o’clock Monday. The closure is part of the Gilmerton Bridge Replacement Project, which is expected to wrap up in late 2013.

You can use the I-64 High Rise Bridge or the Downtown Tunnel as alternates. Maritime traffic should not be affected.

The weekend is almost here and VDOT crews are getting ready to get to work.

The High Rise Bridge along I-64 in Chesapeake will be closed in both directions Sunday, May 6, 2012 from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Crews will be performing rigging operations on the bridge’s lift span.

Here’s an alternate from VDOT:

You can take I-264 Downtown Tunnel as an alternate route. Look for signs that point the way From I-64 west, drivers should take the Route 17 George Washington Highway exit. Next make a left on George Washington Highway and proceed to Frederick Boulevard. Make a left onto Frederick Boulevard, then take the I-264 east ramp on the right. Proceed on I-264 east, through the Downtown Tunnel. Stay in the right lane and after exiting the tunnel take the I-464 south exit. Follow I-464 south until you reach the I-64 west exit.

From I-64 east take the I- 464 north exit. Follow I-464 north to the I-264 west (Downtown Tunnel) exit. Proceed on I-264 west to the Frederick Boulevard exit. Exit at the bottom of the ramp and stay to the left. Make a left on Route 17 south. Follow Route 17 south to George Washington Highway and make a right. Proceed on George Washington Highway to the I-64 east ramp.

Here’s a cancellation from VDOT:
Previously scheduled work at the I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for the weekends of Friday, May 4, 2012 and Friday, May 11, 2012 has been CANCELLED. Look for the closures at the H.R.B.T. after the Labor Day holiday, Sept. 2, 2012.

VDOT has a lot of work to do and closures will take place at two major crossings.
I-664 SB lanes toward Suffolk at the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel will shut down at 8:00 tonight (4/27/12) and will stay closed for re-paving work until 6 a.m. Monday (4/30/12).

The Gilmerton Bridge (along Military Highway in Chesapeake) will close in both directions, also starting at 8:00 tonight and reopening by 5 a.m. Monday.

For your future planning, the HRBT will be closed I-64 EB NEXT weekend, starting at 8 Friday night (5/4/12) and reopening by 5 a.m. Monday (5/7/12).

Here’s a look at your alternates for this weekend’s closures:

MMMBT Weekend of Friday, April 27, until Monday, April 30, 2012

The signed detours for I-664 MMMBT south will be as follows:

· From I-64 east approaching I-664 south (Hampton Coliseum), motorists must stay on I-64 east through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT). Follow I-64 east to I-264 west towards the Downtown Tunnel. Follow I-264 west through the tunnel to the end of the detour at I-664 north/Route 58 west (Bower’s Hill).

· From I-664 south approaching MMMBT (27th street), crews will have a multi-lane closure in place to reroute traffic to I-664 north towards I-64 east (Hampton Coliseum) and the HRBT. From the I-664 south closure motorists will take I-664 east to I-264 west towards the Downtown Tunnel. Follow I-264 west through the tunnel to the end of the detour at I-664 north/Route 58 west (Bower’s Hill).

Please note: The Route 17 James River Bridge is also a suggested alternate route. However, Route 17 traffic is expected to be much higher in volume than normal. Traffic signal timings have been adjusted to compensate for the additional traffic. Motorists using local streets may experience a longer than usual delay due to the expected higher traffic volumes and increased timing.

Gilmerton Bridge Closure:

· Motorists are encouraged to use the I-64 High Rise Bridge as an alternate route during this weekend bridge closure. The Downtown Tunnel and the I-264 Berkley Bridge are also alternate routes. Maritime traffic should not be impacted.

HRBT Weekend of Friday, May 4, until Monday, May 7, 2012

The signed detours for I-64 HRBT east will be as follows:

· From I-64 east approaching I-664 south (Hampton Coliseum), motorists must stay on I-664 south through the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel (MMMBT). Follow I-664 south to I-264 east towards the Downtown Tunnel. Follow I-264 east through the tunnel to the end of the detour at I-64 east and I-264 east (Barry Robinson Interchange).

· For motorist staying on I-64 east towards the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, they must exit at Mallory Street then head west on I-64 towards Williamsburg. Follow I-664 south towards the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel (MMMBT) to I-264 east towards the Downtown Tunnel. Follow I-264 east through the tunnel to the end of the detour at I-64 east and I-264 east (Barry Robinson Interchange).

The Monitor Merrimac I-664 NB and the High Rise Bridge I-64 EB will close this weekend for paving operations. Also to be closed, the Centerville Turnpike Bridge in Chesapeake.

That means I-664 NB lanes at the Monitor Merrimac will shut down at 8 p.m. Friday, March 30th and reopen by 6 a.m. Monday, April 2.

Both lanes of I-64 EB at the High Rise Bridge (heading toward Suffolk) and one WB lane (heading toward Chesapeake) will close at 7 p.m. Friday, March 30th and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, April 2.

Lanes will be closed at the Centerville Turnpike Bridge from 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Here’s a look at your alternates, which will be marked on highways:

The detour for the I-64 east High Rise Bridge to Hampton/Newport News is as follows:

· Take I-64 west towards the HRBT

The detours for the I-64 east High Rise Bridge to Suffolk and Great Bridge section of Chesapeake are as follows:

· Overheight and heavy load vehicles are recommended to take 17 South to NC 158 West, NC 158 West to NC 32 North, NC 32 North to Suffolk Route 13/58 Bypass, Route 13/58 Bypass to I-64

· From the I-64/264 Interchange at Exit 284, take Exit 284A to I-264 west. Follow I-264 west through the Downtown Tunnel to Bower’s Hill.

· If entering the interstate past the I-64/264 Interchange at Exit 284, take Exit 291A and follow I-464 north to Exit 6A. Follow I-264 west through the Downtown Tunnel to Bower’s Hill.

· From Route 168 continue on I-464 north to Exit 6A. Follow I-264 west through the Downtown Tunnel to Bower’s Hill.

*If you use the Gilmerton Bridge (Military Highway) as an alternate for the High Rise Bridge, the overnight closure that typically begins Sunday evening will push to Monday night so drivers will be able to use it. That means this coming week, the Gilmerton Bridge will close Monday through Thursday 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The detours for I-664 MMMBT north will be as follows:

• From Route 58 east approaching I-664 north (Bowers Hill), motorists must exit onto I-264 east, towards the Downtown Tunnel. Motorists will follow I-264 east to I-64 west, towards the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. The detour will end at I-664, Hampton Coliseum.
• From I-664 North approaching College Drive, crews will place an inside lane closure and reroute traffic back on to I-664 south, towards Bowers Hill. From I-664 south motorists will take I-264 East (towards the Downtown Tunnel); to I-64 West (towards the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel); end of detour at I-664 (Hampton Coliseum)

Here’s another upcoming closure you may need to plan for:

**The Gilmerton Bridge closes normally overnight, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays.

Over the next two months, prepare for the bridge to be closed for the entire weekend.

The Gilmerton Bridge Replacement Project Weekend Closure Plan:

April 13, from 8 p.m. through April 16, at 5 a.m.

April 27, from 8 p.m. through April 30, at 5 a.m.

May 11, from 8 p.m. through May 14, at 5 a.m.

Alternates during the closures of the Gilmerton would be the I-64 High Rise Bridge, the Downtown Tunnel and the I-264 Berkley Bridge are also alternate routes. Maritime traffic should not be impacted.

The Gilmerton Bridge Replacement Project will provide a new lift span bridge over the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River and replace the existing double-leaf bascule bridge that was constructed in 1938.

Courtesy: TheCarConnection.com

About an hour after posting this article, more than a hundred of you commented. The vast majority of you posted under the sentiment: “Yes… we ARE feeling it!”. I read through the dozens upon dozens of posts. Some of you have made some serious changes to your routine. Tina posted, “We have altered our work schedules so that we can basically share the van because it has better gas mileage. I ride my bike to the grocery store when only getting a few small things, and carpool to the sports [events] more often.”

Pamela says she’s “trying to get in a carpool at work. I just buy less food unfortunately.”

Others say they’ve traded in their gas-guzzlers for more fuel-efficient options. Sheila wrote, “I traded my large SUV in for a more affordable Honda….” And James posted that he bought a gas-saving commuter car to drive to work instead of his truck. He added, “I would have never done that if gas prices didn’t go up.”

There’s another side to this gas debate. There are those who side with the experts cited in the CNN Money article. Jennie’s comment clearly shows where she stands on this issue: “ I personally laugh at the ones complaining about increased gas, but own smart phones, ipads, etc…. [T]hey have had no problem shelling out extra money for more apps, more data, etc.”

Jason suggested, “Record how much you actually spend (on gas), and you’ll find it’s not that bad unless you need to drive a lot. It’s about the same as getting a coffee every morning.”

Michael took on a more aggressive stance, claiming we in the U.S. don’t take fuel consumption seriously enough. He posted: “Stand at an intersection in Hampton Roads. Any intersection. Watch traffic. Look at the types of vehicles moving. Big, huge, gigantic gas-guzzling vehicles with only 1 or 2 people inside. People flooring the gas pedal when the light turns green. People tailgating. And these are only a few examples of factors that contribute to poor fuel economy…. So as prices go up, and you’re scratching your head at the pump as to why prices are going up, simply look around. The reason, is US.”

Stephanie agreed with Michael. She posted, “I love how everyone is saying, ‘I go to the store less often’ and ‘we carpool more’ like these are BAD things. You should be doing that anyway, regardless of what gas prices are! If you’re not then YOU are part of the problem. Like Michael said, the problem is not the prices, it’s your consumption.”

What if we had more public transportation options? I lived in Spain for several months and was thoroughly impressed by how easy it was to live without a car. It’s a luxury those of us in some parts of Hampton Roads would really struggle without.

Talking on Europe, Schonna posted, “… NO COMPARISON! They have incredible infrastructure. Buses and metro systems give everyone an alternative. Their cars are built differently in size and fuel economy. And you have local markets for everything you need in every town. When we have all that I would be ok with $9 a gallon for gas.”

Stephanie (same as above) countered Schonna’s Europe argument writing, “Funny how you all say that Europe has better public transportation and that’s why it’s OK for their gas prices to be so high… We pay at least a dollar more than you in Chicago but we also have great public transportation. But yet when they try to build a better infrastructure for you and create public transportation (light rail) you vote against it time and time again…. You can’t have it both ways – you have to either agree to improve your public transportation or pay the higher gas prices.”

In places with more transportation options, like Washington D.C., folks are noticing more passengers riding alongside them on the trains and metro. On my WAVY Facebook page, Carleigh told me she takes the train into DC everyday, “I have noticed that the trains have been a lot more crowded lately. I also read an article on the VRE (Virginia Railway Express) yesterday that mentioned the possibility of an increase in train fares. Their reasoning… gas prices.”

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE CHEAPEST GAS PRICES IN YOUR AREA

From what I’ve cleaned from these comments is that most of you simply feel the article is out of touch. As Stephen put it, “Whoever wrote this obviously doesn’t work with me. Where we haven’t seen even a cost of living raise in 5 years. The numbers on everything except my paycheck are constantly on the rise.”

I emailed the author, Steve Hargreaves at CNN Money. I asked him where he came up with the idea, and if he’s gotten a lot of reaction. He replied within just a few minutes. Here’s his unedited response: “Oh yes, there’s been lots of reaction to it – mostly negative. The idea came from an old S&P study showing that, thanks to higher wages and better fuel economy, people have to work half the hours now to drive the same distance as they did in the early 1980s. The study was done using 2006 numbers, but the general premise still holds true: Gas prices don’t hurt as much now as they used to.”

As of 8:15 a.m. Friday morning (3/23/2012), Hargreaves’ article was just short of 2,000 comments.

For the sake of privacy I’ve omitted last names from the comments that I’ve taken from the Facebook thread. Thanks for all those who took the time to reply to the thread.