YORK COUNTY, Va. — For the last 50 years, the overpass bridges carrying I-64 over Colonial Parkway are a distinct feature. VDOT and the National Park Service said they recognized the importance of maintaining the historic aesthetics.
Just as the existing bridges were built in the 1960s to mimic the 1930s brickwork of other bridges along Colonial Parkway, special consideration and efforts have been made to match the size, color, and shape of the bridge brickwork to be used in construction of the new sections of bridge, as well as in repairing the existing sections.
VDOT said brick manufacturer and supplier, Calvert Masonry, traveled to the bridge site from Manassas no less than five times to match and perfect the brick colorization and produced approximately 60,000 bricks in the first firing for the job. Custom molds were also utilized to ensure the unique shape of the bricks for the bridge archways.
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To make sure there is the safe removal of some existing brickwork and reconstruction of the new brickwork over and directly adjacent to the roadway, a long-term, single-lane closure will be in place on Colonial Parkway starting as early as mid-January 2020. During the closure, traffic will be alternated in each direction using a temporary traffic signal equipped with a video detection system.
Starting as early as the last week of December, portable changing message signs (PCMS) will begin notifying motorists of the upcoming traffic pattern change.
Kenn Milton lives in the Queens Lake area, not too far from the Capitol Landing Road exit. Interstate 64 is behind his home.
“When we first moved here, the woods were much denser and there wasn't quite the amount of noise, but with all the storms we've lost a lot of trees,” Milton said.
While he's not worried too much about lane closures, Milton is keeping his eye on if VDOT will provide him and his neighbors a sound barrier.
“If it will continue to be noisy, if property values take a drop, as someone who is retired we would not want to lose any equity,” Milton said.
Click here for updates on the I-64 widening project. Anyone can also stay up to date on schedule updates through the digital message boards on-site, email traffic alerts, the I-64 Widening website, and VDOT Hampton Roads Facebook group.