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Hampton council approves 90‑day pilot to temporarily close parts of Shell Road to curb cut‑through traffic
Summary
After reviewing several traffic‑calming options for Shell Road and Greenbrier Avenue — including rumble strips, a traffic circle, signals, asphalt art and closures — council authorized a 90‑day temporary roadway closure pilot, coupled with enforcement and traffic counters, to measure impacts on traffic volume and safety.
The council reviewed staff recommendations for safety improvements in the Shell Road and Greenbrier Avenue neighborhood and agreed to a temporary pilot to test roadway closures aimed at reducing cut‑through traffic.
Public Works and Community Development Director Jason Mitchell said residents reported speeding, crashes and large trucks cutting through the neighborhood. Staff described steps already implemented — four‑way and three‑way stop signs, no‑through‑truck signage, signage for a $200 speeding fine and targeted enforcement — and presented a menu of additional options: rumble strips (~$10,000, 3 months installation), a large traffic circle (~$350,000, ~1 year and five property acquisitions), signal installations (transcript estimates were unclear; staff indicated an 18–24 month timeline and said estimated costs vary by signal), crosswalk/asphalt art (~$25,000, ~6 months) and roadway closures (temporary barricades estimated ~$10,000; permanent median/landscaping ~$50,000).
Mitchell said recent counts showed Shell Road carried about 4,000 vehicles per day in April and about 3,000 per day after stop‑sign changes in late September/October, with average speeds increasing roughly 3 mph. Staff reported a neighborhood meeting on Oct. 16 with approximately 25 attendees and no clear consensus for a single permanent solution.
As a near‑term step Mitchell recommended continued enforcement by the Hampton Police Department and a temporary closure pilot — installing water‑filled barricades to close Shell Road at Childs Avenue and convert adjoining streets to one‑way — to run for 90 days while staff collects traffic counts and surveys neighborhood feedback. Council members debated a shorter trial (30 or 60 days) but ultimately voiced support for the 90‑day pilot and directed staff to return evaluation data and a neighborhood meeting at the pilot’s end. Councilman Bowman explicitly opposed permanent closure; others said they preferred starting with a pilot and monitoring impacts.
Jason Mitchell summarized staff’s recommendation: “Our recommendations at this point would be to request the Hampton Police Department continue traffic enforcement, temporarily close Shell Road at Childs Avenue and the adjoining streets, as these adjustments will reduce traffic, and improve safety over the next 90 days.”
