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VDOT to inspect local bridges
Crews under contract to the Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT) will perform regularly-scheduled safety inspections at several
bridge locations during January, weather permitting, that may require
road or lane closures and create delays. In Halifax County the Route
360 bridge over the Banister River at Halifax and the Route 49 bridge
over Aarons Creek near Virgilina are scheduled for inspection on
January 11.
A day earlier on January 10, 2008, two bridges near the Halifax County
boundary line are scheduled for inspection — one on Route 710 over
Birch Creek and the other on Route 713 over the abandoned rail, both in
Pittsylvania County, but near the county line. There are several other
bridges in Pittsylvania County, as well as in Campbell County and
Lynchburg, which are set to be inspected during January.
Motorists are also reminded that work was set to begin yesterday,
December 26, on the bridge over Poplar Creek on Berry Hill Road in the
Town of South Boston. Burleigh Construction Company, Inc of Concord was
to begin demolishing the existing structure to replace it with a new 40
foot wide bridge which will include a sidewalk and two seven foot wide
bike lanes. That project is scheduled for completion on August 1, 2008.
A spokesperson for the department said VDOT inspects all its bridges at
least once every two years unless there are issues with a structure due
to age, deterioration, bridge damage or other known concerns. In these
case, more frequent inspections are conducted. Routine bridge
inspections continue to ensure that all 20,823 Virginia bridges remain
safe for motorists. When bridge inspectors find any safety concerns,
bridges are immediately posted to reduce weight limits or closed until
the necessary repairs are made.
Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling through these or any
highway work zones. For additional information about work zones
statewide, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.511Virginia
org. or call 511.