VDOT News - Culpeper

CULPEPER — The Route 695 (Hamilton Road) bridge over the South Anna River in Louisa County will close to traffic on Wednesday after a regular inspection revealed significant deterioration to one of the beams that support the deck, making the bridge unsafe to carry traffic.

The steel beam, timber deck bridge, which was built in 1929, was posted for a five-ton weight limit prior to its closure. Traffic should use alternate routes around the bridge while the Virginia Department of Transportation establishes a signed detour route that avoids all reduced-weight structures.

VDOT bridge engineers are developing a plan to repair the bridge beam but the extent of necessary repairs, the cost or the time to complete them is not known. Even after repairs the bridge will be posted for a severely reduced weight limit. Approximately 58 vehicles cross the bridge each day, according to the most recent traffic counts.

VDOT has an aggressive bridge inspection and safety program that goes beyond federal requirements. For more information about VDOT bridge program see the agency’s web site: “Bridges in Virginia.”

Culpeper District updates are on the district’s Facebook page and the district’s Twitter account, @VaDOTCulp. For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, the public should contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).  Current traffic conditions, VDOT’s statewide network of traffic cameras and other real-time travel information is on the 511Virginia website. That information is also available on the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia.

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