YORK COUNTY – Due to mechanical issues at the Route 17 George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge, motorists and maritime traffic should expect longer than usual delays during bridge openings until further notice. In order to maintain bridge operations for maritime and vehicular traffic, all bridge openings will require crews to perform additional procedures to manually open the bridge. These procedures may extend the duration of each opening by an additional 25-40 minutes, resulting in total opening times of approximately 45-60 minutes.
Bridge openings will continue and must be conducted in compliance with federal regulations enforced by the United States 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 the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for bridge openings, due to the staffing required to manually open the bridge, VDOT has requested a two-hour notice for all openings with the USCG during this time.
VDOT has developed a repair plan, and procurement is underway for temporary repairs to reduce the opening durations until the more extensive long-term solution can be developed and implemented. In the meantime, the added manual steps required for each opening necessitate additional staffing and coordination, contributing to the extended duration and additional maritime notice.
Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead. For the latest estimated schedule of pre-planned bridge openings reported to VDOT with advanced notice or real-time openings as they occur, we recommend using VDOT’s 511Virginia tools, such as the 511Virginia 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.
VDOT appreciates the public’s patience and understanding as crews continue efforts to maintain safe, reliable operations for roadway and maritime travelers.
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.
