On Friday night, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posted a vehicle weight limit and closed one lane on the Route 1 bridge over the Rappahannock River as it began emergency repairs.
According to a news release from VDOT, results from recent inspections of the Falmouth Bridge show rapid deterioration of elements of the structural steel that support the bridge deck in several areas near the northbound right lane. To reduce vehicle weight on this area of the bridge, VDOT has closed the northbound right lane until repairs to the structural steel are complete.
Route 1 northbound is reduced to a single lane between Charles Street in the City of Fredericksburg and Carter Street in Stafford County. The northbound lane closure is expected to remain in place for a minimum of several months.
The new maximum vehicle weight to cross Falmouth Bridge is 16 tons for single-unit vehicles and 24 tons for tractor-trailers. Message boards have been placed to notify drivers of the vehicle weight limit as a temporary measure while signs are fabricated.
The Falmouth Bridge carries around 38,000 vehicles a day between Fredericksburg and Stafford and is part of the Route 1 alternate route to Interstate 95. The bridge opened to traffic in 1943.
Falmouth Bridge is inspected annually. Additionally, this summer further inspection work was performed to gather information to start design for a major rehabilitation project of the bridge, currently funded with $86.2 million in the Six-Year Improvement Program.
“Many area residents cross Falmouth Bridge multiple times a day as part of their daily travel, and we know how critical it is to keeping the Fredericksburg region moving, whether the trip is to work or school or medical appointments, or you are a business owner making a delivery,” VDOT Fredericksburg District Engineer Marcie Parker said in the release. “We will work urgently to carry out these spot structural steel repairs and reopen all lanes as we advance efforts to accelerate the larger Falmouth Bridge project.”
“Reducing the weight of our heaviest vehicles on this bridge and closing a single lane are important safety precautions we can take as we carry out this repair. But we would not hesitate to close the entire bridge if it was warranted for safety,” Parker said.
Traffic signal timing will be monitored and adjusted on regional routes to reflect fluctuations in traffic caused by the weight posting and northbound lane closure.
Vehicles that surpass the weight limit for Falmouth Bridge can use any of the other three Rappahannock River crossings between Stafford and Fredericksburg: Interstate 95, Route 3 (Blue and Gray Parkway), and Chatham Bridge on Route 3 Business.
The Rappahannock River Crossing project doubled I-95 capacity between the Route 3 interchange in Fredericksburg and the Route 17 interchange in Stafford, with a total of six northbound and six southbound lanes now crossing the river.
During the emergency project, travelers will observe crews and equipment working underneath Falmouth Bridge and in the closed northbound travel lane.
No impacts to recreational river traffic below the bridge are anticipated.
The sidewalk along the northbound right lane of the Falmouth Bridge will remain open for pedestrians and bicyclists at this time, while emergency repairs are under design. Pedestrian and bicyclist traffic adds minimal weight and does not place significant additional stress on the bridge. Sidewalk access along the northbound lane may be closed once construction begins.
A cost estimate is not yet available for this emergency repair project. It will be funded using state bridge maintenance funds.
Project updates and schedule information will be posted throughout the repair to VDOT’s website at vdot.virginia.gov/falmouthbridgerepair.
