RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Jeff Caldwell 804-524-6179 richmondinfo@VirginiaDOT.org Sara Cross 804-524-6387

RICH-36 June 14, 2004

VDOT POSTS ROUTE 5 BRIDGE OVER CHICKAHOMINY RIVER AT THREE TONS Latest effort to halt deterioration in bridge

CHARLES CITY COUNTY—The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) today posted a three-ton weight restriction on the Judith Stewart Dresser Memorial Bridge that carries Route 5 over the Chickahominy River.


Overweight vehicles must now follow the posted detour. Eastbound trucks should take Route 155 to Route 60 to Route 614 to Route 5. Westbound trucks should take Route 614 to Route 60 to Route 155 to Route 5. The detour is approximately 63 miles.

Friday morning, as the bridge tender attempted a routine opening of the swing-span bridge, the moveable portion of the bridge came into contact with the fixed approach span. Engineers found that the eastern approach span has shifted, closing the clearance gap between the moveable and fixed spans. Crews were able to free the bridge and lock it in the closed position soon after, restricting river traffic that required a bridge opening to pass.


VDOT engineers believe that heavy truck traffic has likely caused deterioration in the pier supporting the eastern approach span where it meets the moveable section of the bridge. Repeated exposure to heavy vehicles is causing the pier to shift. This prompted the misalignment that has kept one lane closed for the past several weeks, and has now resulted in the rubbing between the fixed and moveable portions of the bridge. The weight restrictions were put in place to halt the deterioration until repairs can be made.


VDOT has arranged for fire, ambulance and other emergency vehicles to cross the bridge when responding to a call. VDOT is also working with the Coast Guard to notify boaters of the restricted access. Boats that can pass beneath the bridge may still do so, provided they can safely clear the structure. High-tide clearance is 10 to 11 feet, while low-tide clearance is 12 to 13 feet.

“VDOT is doing everything it can to keep this bridge safely open to vehicular traffic and to avoid the lengthy detours required when this bridge is closed,” said Richmond district administrator Thomas A. Hawthorne, P.E. “Unfortunately, this means making difficult decisions that impact boater and trucking traffic. If we don’t put these restrictions in place, we won’t be able to keep this bridge held together until it can be repaired and eventually replaced.”

VDOT is using an emergency contacting method to expedite repairs, but no definitive schedule is available at this time.

The swing-span truss bridge was originally constructed in 1939 and carries one lane of traffic each direction. The bridge stands 2,025 feet long with 29 spans and is 24 feet wide from curb to curb. It was constructed using timber pilings and has a concrete and steel driving deck. It functions as a swing-span structure, meaning it pivots on an axis to allow boats to pass through an opening rather than lifting upward as is often the case with drawbridges.