| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Dawn Eischen (804) 524-6179 Richmondinfo@VDOT.Virginia.gov |
RICH-0746 Nov. 8, 2007 |
RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND PUBLIC HEARING ON HUGUENOT BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
BON AIR—The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a public hearing to receive citizens' input on proposed improvements to the Huguenot Memorial Bridge. The 58-year-old bridge is considered a major transportation artery over the James River connecting Richmond city limits to the south and Henrico County to the north via Huguenot Road (Route 147).
The design public hearing will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bon Air Elementary School located at 8701 Polk Street in Richmond. The hearing will be open format with stations where citizens can talk one-on-one with VDOT representatives. This flexible format allows participants to arrive whenever their schedule will allow.
The bridge improvement project involves replacing the existing structure with a new structure in approximately the same location as the current bridge. The new structure will have one 12 foot lane and one 10 foot shoulder in each direction. The 10 foot shoulder will function as both an emergency lane and a lane to allow bicyclists to safely use the bridge. In addition, there will be a five foot wide sidewalk on each side for pedestrians.
The Huguenot Bridge is inspected every 12 months and an underwater inspection is conducted every five years. In July 2007, the deck, superstructure and substructure were rated as poor. The August 2006 underwater inspection rated the footings as fair. Even with these less than optimal ratings, the bridge is structurally sound and can accommodate normal traffic.
Costly maintenance and repairs, the age and condition of the bridge, and the critical need for widening to allow for emergency vehicles all played a part in the decision to proceed with a replacement.
The existing bridge is one lane in each direction with a pedestrian sidewalk and no shoulders. It carries more than 28,000 vehicles per day on average.
Residents are encouraged to offer comments or submit written material concerning the proposed project by Nov. 23, 2007 in order to be included in the public hearing transcript. All questions and comments will be considered prior to design approval.
For more information about the meeting, individuals may call VDOT's Richmond District Office at 804-524-6000 (TDD 711) or visit VDOT’s project Web page at www.huguenotbridge.org.
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The design public hearing will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bon Air Elementary School located at 8701 Polk Street in Richmond. The hearing will be open format with stations where citizens can talk one-on-one with VDOT representatives. This flexible format allows participants to arrive whenever their schedule will allow.
The bridge improvement project involves replacing the existing structure with a new structure in approximately the same location as the current bridge. The new structure will have one 12 foot lane and one 10 foot shoulder in each direction. The 10 foot shoulder will function as both an emergency lane and a lane to allow bicyclists to safely use the bridge. In addition, there will be a five foot wide sidewalk on each side for pedestrians.
The Huguenot Bridge is inspected every 12 months and an underwater inspection is conducted every five years. In July 2007, the deck, superstructure and substructure were rated as poor. The August 2006 underwater inspection rated the footings as fair. Even with these less than optimal ratings, the bridge is structurally sound and can accommodate normal traffic.
Costly maintenance and repairs, the age and condition of the bridge, and the critical need for widening to allow for emergency vehicles all played a part in the decision to proceed with a replacement.
The existing bridge is one lane in each direction with a pedestrian sidewalk and no shoulders. It carries more than 28,000 vehicles per day on average.
Residents are encouraged to offer comments or submit written material concerning the proposed project by Nov. 23, 2007 in order to be included in the public hearing transcript. All questions and comments will be considered prior to design approval.
For more information about the meeting, individuals may call VDOT's Richmond District Office at 804-524-6000 (TDD 711) or visit VDOT’s project Web page at www.huguenotbridge.org.
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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. 17, 2008
