YORK COUNTY — On Feb. 9, contractor crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) completed the first phase of repairs to mechanical components that assist with opening and closing the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge (Route 17) in York County. As a result, motorists can expect bridge openings to return to the previous average duration of approximately 25 minutes.
In November 2025, a mechanical issue required crews to operate, adjust and monitor the double-swing span bridge manually during each opening, resulting in extended openings of up to 42 minutes.
Over the past week, crews installed new hydraulic equipment that allows the bridge to be opened and closed in a controlled manner, eliminating the need for manual extended openings. This serves as a short-term solution to repair failed parts, stabilize operations and improve reliability. The same approach will be replicated on other similar equipment and further integrated to the bridge control system in the future.
Bridge openings must continue to be conducted in compliance with federal regulations enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), which typically require the bridge to open on demand for marine vessels. The USCG determines these bridge lift schedules, and any changes must be approved at the federal level. While watercraft operators are typically not required to provide advance notice to VDOT for bridge openings, VDOT requested and received approval from the USCG for a temporary requirement that mariners provide four hours’ notice during this time to allow for proper staffing to operate the hydraulic components.
For the latest estimated schedule of pre-planned bridge openings reported to VDOT with advance notice or real-time openings as they occur, we recommend using VDOT’s 511 Virginia tools, including the 511 Virginia website and mobile app. Through the 511 Virginia website, users can also set up and receive email and text alerts for specific bridge opening notifications at the Coleman Bridge by following the instructions at: https://bit.ly/VA511BridgeNotificationsSteps
The Coleman Bridge spans the York River, connecting Yorktown and Gloucester Point, and is one of the largest double-swing-span bridges in the United States.
