CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Construction is in full swing on the High Rise Bridge in Chesapeake, and commuters have mixed emotions about all the construction.
The nearly $410 million project will ultimately widen eight miles of I-64.
Joe Guerrero said he takes the bridge to work each day and that the nightly lane closures are causing a lot of backups through the week.
“It just depends on what day you’re going across it, at what time you catch it. It seems, like me personally, I always catch it at the wrong time,” said Guerrero.
VDOT said that as construction continues the speed limit will soon drop to 55 miles an hour, and drivers will begin to see more construction equipment and barriers. Guerrero said that until the project is over, the best bet is to avoid the bridge.
“Look I know construction takes a long time to get done, but until then I guess you have to take the back roads and deal with the stoplights,” said Guerrero.
Currently, the bridge supports four lanes of traffic. Once the new bridge is constructed, there will be six lanes, including a fast lane during times of heavy congestion. Other Chesapeake residents said that the bridge is long overdue, and that the changes are worth all the construction.
“It is a necessary evil because it has to be done in order to improve things for the future and more people that move into the area,” said a Chesapeake resident.
Construction on the bridge began in 2018 and is set to be completed by the summer of 2021.
There will be I-64 single-lane closures in both directions between South Military Highway and Greenbrier Parkway, March 24-28 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and March 29 from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.