NEWSOMS
Despite a number of delays, including bouts with winter weather and the consideration of a different plan of action, improvements at the intersection of Cypress Bridge Road and Statesville Road near Newsoms are now complete. The Virginia Department of Transportation widened the road at the request of Southampton County Supervisor Glenn Updike.

Last November, Updike asked the department to add a turning lane on Statesville Road to better facilitate right turns for tractor trailers onto Cypress Bridge Road. Seeing as most big rigs turn left and travel into the small town because of a narrow turning radius, Updike felt it should be a top priority for VDOT.

The department cleaned and filled the old ditches, dug a new ditch roughly 25 feet from the old location and paved a 15-foot turn lane to improve the roadway. The project did not affect traffic, as it was completed at night and vehicles were moved out of the way during the day.