CHARLES CITY/JAMES CITY COUNTIES—Motorists who travel over the Judith Stewart Dresser Memorial Bridge may have noticed several large, concrete pilings cropping out of the river during the summer. The $48.7 million project ($44 million for construction) to replace the existing bridge is currently on schedule and within budget, reports VDOT.

Contractor, Skanska, Inc., has installed 20% of the 105 concrete pilings that will support the new Route 5 bridge over the Chickahominy River. The remaining piles will be installed over the next six months. Beginning this fall, concrete beams will be placed on top of the pilings.

During construction, motorists will continue to use the existing bridge. Reinforcements were added to the existing 68-year old structure to protect its integrity. “Our structural engineers and contractors have been surveying the existing bridge for elevation changes, conducting periodic visual inspections and using seismic monitoring,” says VDOT project manager, Harold Dyson. “We’re committed to keeping the existing bridge operational until the new bridge is finished.”

The new bridge is expected to be completed in September 2009 and will provide motorists an uninterrupted drive across the river. It will rise 52 feet above the river, allowing boats to travel underneath without the need for a bridge opening. In addition, pedestrians and bicyclists will enjoy safer access across the river via the separate shared-use path.

Once two-way traffic is shifted over to the new bridge, the existing bridge will be demolished, with final project completion anticipated in July 2010.

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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: Jan. 29, 2008