NORFOLK/VIRGINIA BEACH – As progress continues on the I-64/I-264 Interchange Improvements Project, a new I-264 east off-ramp is set to open this weekend, helping to ease congestion and improve traffic flow at the Newtown Road exit.
Contractor crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation are scheduled to open the new off-ramp at Newtown Road, exit 15b, as early as Sunday evening, March 6. Located just east of the bridge over Newtown Road, the new off-ramp will allow motorists to exit the interstate and merge directly onto northbound Newtown Road.
Motorists traveling to southbound Newtown Road or to Greenwich Road will continue to utilize the existing off-ramp at Newtown Road, exit 15a. As part of the new traffic pattern, the left turn lane from existing exit 15a to northbound Newtown Road will close to traffic permanently.
Digital message signs alerting motorists to the changes will be in place throughout the corridor.
While working overnight to open the new ramp, crews will also implement a series of lane closures to update overhead signage to reflect the new off-ramp. As early as 9 p.m. on Sunday, this will include a closure of the collector-distributor road (outside set) at Newtown Road for approximately one hour. Once the road reopens, it will be in its final project configuration.
With separate exits for northbound and southbound motorists at Newtown Road, fewer traffic signal cycles are required. This allows the interchange to operate more efficiently and helps prevent traffic backups.
This work is weather-dependent, and the schedule is subject to change.
