NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A closure at the Route 17 James River Bridge (JRB) left drivers with a headache trying to get to and from Newport News and Isle of Wight County.
“Friday, Friday was pretty bad,” said Isle of Wight County resident Nicole DuRall.
They say it also left them waiting for hours.
“Friday, I sat in traffic for two hours trying to get home,” said Suffolk resident Desiree Nazareth. “I guess because traffic that would come this way was diverted to the Monitor Merrimac.”
Days of repairs at the bridge ended Monday afternoon after the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) closed it for what they called critical maintenance.
“I’m very happy it’s back open," DuRall said. "It’s great. So, now it only takes me 45 minutes to get to work.”
“The ropes that are being replaced are actually original to the bridge," said Tim Kelley with VDOT’s Hampton Roads District. "So, they’re over 40 years old. The ropes that are being put on during the two different closure periods are expected to last 40 years.”
Over the last few days, crews replaced 40 of the bridge’s counterweight wires. That’s only half of the work done at the James River Bridge. VDOT officials said the bridge will close again to replace the other 40 wires. Kelley explains why leaders divided repair work into two phases.
“If we went with a longer period, it would have stretched into more weekdays which of course is more vehicular traffic at that particular facility,” he said.
Drivers aren’t looking forward to another closure. However, with an early notice, they’re planning around it.
“I think I’m going to go ahead and request that time off because it’s not worth the headache of trying to get over there,” DuRall said.
The JRB will experience another closure scheduled from 1 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 2 through 5 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 6. Bridge lift restrictions may extend through 5 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7.
During the closure, a signed detour will be in place to direct motorists to the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as one of the primary alternate travel routes. Additional alternate routes include the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry and Route 460.
You can learn more about the project on VDOT's website.