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Join us for the Atkinson Boulevard Drive-In Ribbon Cutting Today

A Peterson , , ,

Tomorrow is the big day – join us for the city’s first drive-in Ribbon Cutting event! Residents and guests are invited to attend to be the first to travel Atkinson Boulevard, an important new connection between Warwick Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue. Visit the NNTV YouTube page to view a promotional video highlighting this event!

The event takes place at 1 p.m.; guests are invited to start lining up no earlier than 12:30 p.m. Please enter Atkinson off Warwick Boulevard; the Jefferson Avenue entrance will be closed during the event. Parking attendants will help participants line up along Atkinson Blvd. Guests should remain in their vehicles and can tune into 88.7 FM to hear the event live. Special gift bags will be distributed to those in attendance to commemorate the occasion!

During the event, Mayor McKinley L. Price and members of Newport News City Council will deliver remarks and then attendees can drive down Atkinson Boulevard. This new 1.2 mile, four lane divided roadway features a 1,740 foot bridge over Interstate 64 and the CSX Railway. It also includes a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction began in 2017, with the city administering the project as a joint venture between Bryant Contracting, Inc. and Basic Construction Company, LLC. The total project cost was $66 million.

For those of you willing to brave the chilly weather, register to be the first to bike across the bridge! A limited number of openings are available for cyclists to ride across the bridge during the event. Participants must register online and can park at Mary Passage Middle School to unload. Registration is not required for motorists who wish to drive across the bridge.

After the event, Atkinson Boulevard will be open in both directions for vehicle traffic and those wanting to walk or bike across the bridge. Please note: the city’s Recovery Operations Center will remain open during the event, but motorists should expect some delays accessing the facility between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.