FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Beginning Monday, August 5, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin a bridge replacement project on Route 638 (South River Road) over South River in Caroline County. A portion of South River Road will close on Wednesday, Aug. 7, and remain closed for approximately a year.
The replacement bridge will be built on the existing bridge alignment but will be 110 feet long and 28 feet wide. The travel lanes on the new bridge will be 9 feet wide, with 5-foot shoulders. The guardrail will also be upgraded within the project limits. The existing structure was built in 1973 and is approximately 81 feet long and 28 feet wide.
During construction, drivers will be detoured approximately 14.5 miles using the following routes:
- Route 638 (South River Road)
- Route 605 (Paige Road)
- Route 2 (Fredericksburg Turnpike/North Main Street)
- Route 207 Business (West Broaddus Avenue)
- Route 207 (Rogers Clark Boulevard)
- Route 639 (Ladysmith Road)
Click here to view an online detour map.
Construction activity will be underway from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Weather permitting, the bridge replacement project is expected to be complete and the road reopened to traffic in September 2025.
Message boards will be posted on Monday, July 29 to notify motorists about the upcoming closure and detour.
A recent VDOT traffic count indicates that approximately 170 vehicles use the bridge each day.
