| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Dawn Eischen (804) 524-6179 Richmondinfo@VDOT.Virginia.gov |
RICH-0743 Sept. 17, 2007 |
BEAM PLACEMENTS FOR I-295 FLYOVER BRIDGE START TOMORROW NIGHT
I-64 east motorists will be temporarily detoured to Broad Street
HENRICO/GOOCHLAND COUNTIES—The new I-295 flyover bridge to carry I-64 east motorists to I-295 in western Henrico County will start to look more like a bridge starting this week as contractors place steel beams over the interstate. To ensure motorist safety during this activity, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will temporarily re-route I-64 east motorists to Broad Street (Route 250) tomorrow night.
Motorists will be detoured off I-64 east at Exit 175 (Route 288) onto Broad Street and back onto I-64 east at Exit 178 from 10 p.m. Sept. 18 through 5:30 a.m. Sept. 19, weather permitting. This detour will only affect those traveling through the Short Pump area on I-64 east. Expect delays. Motorists are reminded to abide by the posted speed limit along Broad Street during the detour. detour map
Once the detour is in place, a crane will be used to set a steel beam (or span) over I-64 east. A total of 11 spans will be installed to construct the I-295 flyover bridge. Each beam is between 22 and 42 tons, 180 feet long and six feet tall. The large beams are delivered to the construction site ahead of time and assembled in the median. Later this year, contractors will place beams over I-64 west. Only spans placed over the interstate will require overnight detours.
Additional weeknight detours for I-64 east motorists will be needed over the next two weeks to install the remaining beams over I-64 east. VDOT will announce those dates ahead of time so motorists can adjust their travel plans if needed.
Contractor, English Construction Company, Inc. continues to construct the piers used to support the bridge. “The piers have been cropping up like mushrooms,” said Ray Johnston, project manager. “In order to stay on schedule, the contractor has been building one concrete pier a month.” To date, six of 10 piers have been built. The piers are seven feet wide and 17 to 35 feet high.
A similar detour was used on I-64 in March when beams were placed over the interstate for the new Pouncey Tract Road bridge. VDOT expects to shift traffic over to the new section of the Pouncey Tract Road bridge later this month. Soon thereafter, the existing bridge will be demolished to make way for two additional travel lanes—for a total of four lanes across the bridge once complete. Demolition of the existing bridge will require overnight lane closures and I-64 detours. Traffic will remain two lanes on Pouncey Tract Road until the remaining section of the bridge is completed in spring 2008.
The $67 million project is scheduled for completion in spring 2009. For detour maps, the project schedule and more information about the I-295 flyover project, visit the project Web site.
Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.
Motorists will be detoured off I-64 east at Exit 175 (Route 288) onto Broad Street and back onto I-64 east at Exit 178 from 10 p.m. Sept. 18 through 5:30 a.m. Sept. 19, weather permitting. This detour will only affect those traveling through the Short Pump area on I-64 east. Expect delays. Motorists are reminded to abide by the posted speed limit along Broad Street during the detour. detour map
Once the detour is in place, a crane will be used to set a steel beam (or span) over I-64 east. A total of 11 spans will be installed to construct the I-295 flyover bridge. Each beam is between 22 and 42 tons, 180 feet long and six feet tall. The large beams are delivered to the construction site ahead of time and assembled in the median. Later this year, contractors will place beams over I-64 west. Only spans placed over the interstate will require overnight detours.
Additional weeknight detours for I-64 east motorists will be needed over the next two weeks to install the remaining beams over I-64 east. VDOT will announce those dates ahead of time so motorists can adjust their travel plans if needed.
Contractor, English Construction Company, Inc. continues to construct the piers used to support the bridge. “The piers have been cropping up like mushrooms,” said Ray Johnston, project manager. “In order to stay on schedule, the contractor has been building one concrete pier a month.” To date, six of 10 piers have been built. The piers are seven feet wide and 17 to 35 feet high.
A similar detour was used on I-64 in March when beams were placed over the interstate for the new Pouncey Tract Road bridge. VDOT expects to shift traffic over to the new section of the Pouncey Tract Road bridge later this month. Soon thereafter, the existing bridge will be demolished to make way for two additional travel lanes—for a total of four lanes across the bridge once complete. Demolition of the existing bridge will require overnight lane closures and I-64 detours. Traffic will remain two lanes on Pouncey Tract Road until the remaining section of the bridge is completed in spring 2008.
The $67 million project is scheduled for completion in spring 2009. For detour maps, the project schedule and more information about the I-295 flyover project, visit the project Web site.
Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.
Page last modified: Sept. 17, 2007
