Bridge Over Rappahannock Reopens to Large Vehicles
By Peter Bacque, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.
Nov. 2–The Norris Bridge over the Rappahannock River is fixed and fully open to all traffic again.
After replacing a worrisome metal pin in the structure, VDOT lifted weight restrictions that had forced large vehicles to make an 85-mile detour.
After a final inspection, engineers gave the bridge a clean bill of health yesterday, the Virginia Department of Transportation said.
Even trucks carrying overweight loads — with proper permits — can cross the nearly 2-mile-long bridge, the highway agency said.
The 50-year-old Robert O. Norris Jr. Bridge takes traffic on state Route 3 over the Rappahannock at White Stone.
In September, VDOT limited the weight of vehicles using the span after finding what engineers thought might be a flaw in one of more than 160 large steel pins that hold the structure together.
Vehicles weighing more than 3 tons had to detour through Tappahannock.
McLean Contracting Co. began replacing the pin on Oct. 6 and wrapped up the work Wednesday morning.
Drivers might experience short delays today and tomorrow while the contractor removes scaffolding and supports, VDOT spokesman Jeff Caldwell said.
On average, the steel deck-truss span carries 11,300 vehicles daily between Lancaster and Middlesex counties near the mouth of the Rappahannock.
After the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis in early August, VDOT hurried to check the integrity of 11 bridges in Virginia built with steel deck-truss designs similar to the Minnesota bridge’s.
The Norris Bridge was one of the 11 given extra scrutiny. Contact Peter Bacque at (804) 649-6813 or pbacque@timesdispatch.com.
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