HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - VDOT has begun the process of replacing portions of the Creighton Road Bridge, but how will the lane closures associated with the project affect those who use it every day?
Each Sunday, approximately 6,500 people attend St. Paul's Baptist Church on Creighton Road to worship. Many who crossed the Creighton Road Bridge to get to church will have to adjust their Sunday routine for the foreseeable future.
“We're prepared just to be patient,” said Jamie Duncan, Pastor of the Creighton Road location.
“It's going to be a nuisance for a little bit, but I think they want to come to this church so their going to find a way,” said Diane Capehart, who has attended St. Paul’s for ten years.
On Tuesday, VDOT began the process of modernizing the Creighton Road Bridge, which is crossed over by over 11,000 drivers on a typical day.
“It has been posted at a three-ton weight limit for the last four years, which basically means anything larger than passenger vehicles cannot cross the bridge,” said VDOT's Dawn Eischen.
VDOT will replace the top portion of the bridge, which was built in 1960. With its current three-ton weight limit and somewhat narrow lanes, VDOT officials decided to completely shut off traffic while the bridge gets its facelift.
“There's a lot of safety issues involved if you were to keep traffic on the bridge as you're doing the replacement,” said Eischen. “It really goes by much faster if we can close the bridge down. “
VDOT expects the bridge will remain closed until December, but those that live nearby hope the project wraps up sooner than that.
Kenneth Winn's entire family has lived near the Creighton Road Bridge for over 70 years.
“It's really a bad inconvenience, but I know this is the only way we can get out here,” said Winn, who was born on Creighton Road. “But my understanding, like I said, it's well overdue; it really needs to be done.”
As Winn watches cars making U-turns because of the closure, he has a quick message for VDOT: Please hurry up, do the best you can and complete the project as quickly as possible.
VDOT officials want to help the public avoid the inconvenience of the closure by arming them with information. Detour signs have been posted along Creighton Road, and VDOT has attempted to actively warn those who use the bridge frequently.
If you use the Creighton Road Bridge, take note of the following detours.
Creighton Road southbound (from Hanover County)
- I-295 North to Mechanicsville Turnpike/Route 360 West (exit 37)
- Left turn onto Laburnum Avenue to Creighton Road
Creighton Road northbound (from Henrico County)
- Left turn onto Laburnum Avenue
- Right turn onto Mechanicsville Turnpike/Route 360 East
- I-295 South to Creighton Road (exit 34)
