NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The James River Bridge (JRB) reopened to vehicular traffic on Monday afternoon, after it was shut down for several days to allow for work on the Wire Ropes and Replacement Project.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said the closure, the first of two planned for 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 bridge was closed at 1 a.m. on Friday, January 12 and was originally scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16. VDOT officials said work was completed ahead of schedule and the road reopened at 4:40 p.m. Monday.
Marine traffic for boats requiring a bridge lift remains closed but is expected to reopen in a few hours after crews ensure the bridge span is aligned and operating properly following a series of test lifts.
Officials said that during the JRB's weekend closure, 40 of its 80 counterweight wire ropes were replaced. The remaining counterweight ropes are expected to be replaced during a second, extended full closure.
That second closure is scheduled to last between 1 a.m. Friday, February 2, through 5 a.m. Tuesday, February 6. Bridge lift restrictions may extend up to an additional 24 hours through 5 a.m. Wednesday, February 7.
If crews are unable to close the bridge on those dates, a backup closure is scheduled to last from 1 a.m. Thursday, February 8, through 5 a.m. Monday, February 12 (Tuesday the 13 for boats requiring bridge lifts).
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.
13News Now spoke to several drivers who say the closure will create a hassle. Yolanda Waters, the general manager of The Cleaning Authority, said she and her staff take the bridge often.
“We travel this every day. So, it’s going to be a headache for us," she said. “I’m going to start to try to have my team that does have to go that way, probably come in earlier, so they can get to houses on time.”
Newport News resident Elexus Chamberliss said she’s OK with the traffic woes as long as the bridge is safer in the end.
"I look forward to the bridge opening back up," she said. “I feel like safety matters, so do what you have to do.”
More information on the bridge project and its impacts can be found on VDOT's website.