NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A heads-up for drivers who commute across the James River Bridge (JRB): it will be fully shut down for several days beginning later this week and into next week as work continues on the Wire Ropes and Replacement Project.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said the closures, scheduled over several days in January and February, must be done to replace the bridge's aging counterweight wire ropes used to lift the bridge span. The closure also applies to maritime traffic, as well as motorists.
The scheduled dates for the full closures are:
- 1 a.m. on Friday, January 12 through 5 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16
- 1 a.m. on Friday, February 2 through 5 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6
If backup dates are needed, the bridge will be closed on:
- 1 a.m. on Friday, January 19 through 5 a.m. on Tuesday, January 23
- 1 a.m. on Thursday, February 8 through 5 a.m. on Monday, February 12
Maritime travel impacts may extend up to an additional 24 hours to ensure the bridge span is aligned and operating properly after a series of test lifts. VDOT said it will provide updates if that ends up being the case.
VDOT said drivers can also expect additional single-lane closures and stoppages in the days leading up to the full closure:
- Jan. 7 - 10 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Single-lane closures and brief, intermittent stoppages in both directions)
- Jan. 8 - 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Single-lane closures and brief, intermittent stoppages in both directions)
- Jan. 11 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Single-lane closure)
The JRB Wire Rope Replacement Project aims to replace the draw bridge's 40-year-old counterweight wire ropes that are in the bridge's two towers.
For boaters, the bridge cannot conduct any openings while the wires are being worked on and maritime travel impacts may extend to an additional contingency day to ensure the bridge span is aligned and operating properly. However, boats that do not need a bridge opening can continue to use the navigational channel underneath the bridge throughout the project’s duration.
Drivers can use the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) on Interstate 664 as a detour during the JRB closures. Alternate routes will be Route 460 and the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry:
- Traffic from Isle of Wight County heading toward Newport News will be detoured through Suffolk across the Godwin Bridge (Route 17) to the I-664 Interchange and the MMMBT.
- Traffic from Newport News heading toward Isle of Wight will be detoured to I-664 through the MMMBT to exit 9A Route 17/Bridge Road exit in Suffolk, then across the Godwin Bridge (Route 17).
- Traffic from Williamsburg heading toward Isle of Wight County may use the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry as an alternate route.
- Traffic from I-95 Richmond may use Route 460 as an alternate route.
More information on the bridge project and its impacts can be found on VDOT's website.