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Suffolk City Council voted to move forward with two transportation projects Wednesday — one for motorists and a second for pedestrians.

During its Wednesday, June 7 meeting, Council voted to proceed with the Kingsdale Swamp Bridge Replacement project on Elwood Road as part of the State of Good Repair Program. The state is providing $242,228 for the bridge replacement costs.

City Manager Albert S.Moor II said that the adoption of the ordinance for the Elwood Road over Kingsdale Swamp Bridge Replacement project would increase the revenues and the expenditure of the 2022-2023 fiscal year capital project fund budget by $242,288.

“There was no local match required,” he noted on the bridge replacement.

Additionally, Council voted to accept Virginia Department of Transportation funds totaling $100,000 for help with the completion of the Portsmouth Boulevard sidewalk project as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program.

Both approvals came as part of the approval of consent agenda items that are voted on as one grouping.

“The city has received the additional funds in the amount of $100,000 from the Virginia Department of Transportation [Fiscal Year] 2023 Highway Safety Improvement Program for the completion of the Portsmouth Boulevard Sidewalk Project Phase III,” Moor said. “Adoption of the ordinance will increase the revenues and the expenditure of the FY 22-23 capital project fund budget by $100,000. There is no local match.”

The two additional actions on the consent agenda were approved, one involving the
Sheriff’s Office and the other on the Fire Marshal’s Office.

Council agreed to appropriate $7,950 in funding from TowneBank, Dominion Energy and Senior Advocate LLC to support the Sheriff’s Department Community Outreach Program.

Approval was also granted to amend Chapter 38 of the city code on powers and duties of the Fire Marshal. The change removes the city’s fire chief as head fire marshal to create clear separation of duties between the two departments.

The consent agenda items were all approved on a unanimous 8-0 vote.