SUFFOLK
The Virginia Department of Transportation closed the bridge on South Quay Road (Route 189) over the Blackwater River on Monday, April 6, as part of a small maintenance repair to the superstructure. The bridge will remain closed for eight weeks, and work should be completed by Friday, May 29.

“[The maintenance] is a repair to the surface of the swing span/grid deck, making sure it remains safe for traffic,” said department spokeswoman Laurie Simmons.

East and westbound traffic has been detoured around the bridge via Southampton Parkway (Route 58) and Smith’s Ferry Round (Route 258), and signs are in place to help avoid the closure.

Simmons also said that there is a full bridge replacement in the works, estimated at $21.9 million, but the project is not funded at this time.

“Our engineers are working to reduce the project design to lower the cost,” she said.

VDOT will continue to update the public as construction progresses and will alert drivers when the bridge re-opens via their project page, www.511virginia.org, listening to Highway Advisory Radio at 1680 AM or by calling the traffic information line at 361-3016.