October 26, 2011

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has canceled the public hearing on the proposed replacement of the Route 6 (East River Road) bridge that spans the Rivanna River in Fluvanna County.

The design public hearing, which was to be held Thursday, Oct. 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Fluvanna Middle School on Route 15 outside Fork Union, will be rescheduled to a future date.

VDOT proposes to replace the existing 22-foot-wide bridge with a concrete structure and new approaches on both ends. The new bridge will carry all legal-weight loads and be 44 feet wide.

The current concrete bridge was built in 1930. Its sufficiency rating is 32.1 on a scale of 0 (poor) to 100 (very good). The rating considers adequacy, whether the bridge is functionally obsolete and the level of service provided to the public. The existing bridge has an 18-ton posted weight limit.

Route 6 will remain open throughout construction, maintaining traffic flow. Toward the end of the construction period, periodic lane closures will occur as the new segment of roadway is tied in to Route 6 on both ends. The Rivanna River bridge carries 1,884 vehicles per day, according to a 2009 count.

The project’s estimated cost is $13.4 million and is subject to change as the project’s design is developed. Construction advertisement is currently scheduled for 2014.

Project plans and environmental documents, as well as right of way and easement information, will be available for review at the public hearing. Additionally, VDOT staff will be available during the hearing to discuss the project and answer questions.