RICHLANDS, Va. -A bridge that’s located on Front St. between the intersections of Fairfax Ave. and Allegheny St. is now reaching the end of its lifespan, after more than seven decades of downtown traffic. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) says they plan to decommission the bridge and replace it with a new one, which is set to be a year-long endeavor.
The bridge will be fully closed during this process, which the communications manager for VDOT’s Bristol District, Michelle Earl, says will help the replacement move faster.
“One thing that with doing the bridge closure versus running traffic along the bridge while it is being reconstructed, it does save a lot of time, and that’s one of the benefits of doing it in this manner,” says Earl.
With this bridge being one of the few road connections between these two areas of Richlands, you’ll have to take an alternative route, which will be indicated by VDOT’s detour signs. They will be directing people to Route 460, Railroad Avenue, Second Avenue, Fairfax Avenue and Allegheny Street to bypass this area during deconstruction and reconstruction.
Earl says VDOT recognizes that this closure will be inconvenient for area residents, but it is essential to keep the bridge “modern and safe,” adding that they have been “closely working” with the Town of Richlands in advance of the closure.
“It’s important to us at VDOT to keep out infrastructure in good working order, so replacement of the bridge is necessary, and it’s something that will continue to progress the infrastructure in the region,” says Earl.
The bridge is scheduled to be closed on April 14th and is expected to be open again around that time next year.
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