PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – You cannot ride a bike through the Downtown or Midtown tunnels, but Friday, some kids did, in a manner of speaking, riding through a new small-scale replica of an Elizabeth River Crossings tunnel that opened at Safety Town in Portsmouth.

For 50 years, Safety Town has been teaching children safety awareness. The town is a small city designed for young children.

If you grew up there or have a child in city schools, you may have taken a field trip there before.

“We wanted to change the city to 50 years ago — there were certain buildings that were icons to that group," said Bruce LaLonde, president of the Safety Town Advisory Committee. "To this group, it's the schoolhouse, it's a tunnel, it's a bike shop. Those weren't here 50 years ago."

Friday, there was a ribbo

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