COURTLAND
As part of a year-long improvement project, the Route 35 bridge over the Nottoway River outside of Courtland has been closed since Jan. 5. The 85-year-old bridge was deemed structurally deficient and weight restricted by the Virginia Department of Transportation in the summer of 2012, thus the construction of a new overpass was approved.

Waterfront Marine Construction Inc., the team handling the reconstruction, recently removed the roadway connected to the old Darden Memorial Bridge.

The steel bridge, itself, is still standing beside a temporary wooden bridge, which allows workers and equipment to travel the length of the construction area.

The $13 million project will keep Route 35 closed until its completion later this fall, which will ultimately widen the roadway with 12-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders. In the meantime, a seven-mile detour directs commuters around the closure via Route 58 and Business Route 58.

Additionally, the concrete structure will have a clearance of 26 feet above mean high water, allowing for travel underneath.

VDOT will continue to update the public as construction progresses and will alert drivers when the bridge re-opens via the project page at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/hamptonroads/rte35bridge.asp.