FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Route 637 (County Bridge Road) in Richmond County reopened to through traffic today after construction was completed on a new $3.2 million bridge over Cat Point Creek.
The new bridge is 28 feet wide and 110 feet long, which is slightly longer than the previous 81-foot-long bridge, which was built in 1973. New guardrail and asphalt was installed on County Bridge Road approaching the bridge.
County Bridge Road had been closed at Cat Point Creek since June 11, 2021, when portions of the Northern Neck region experienced up to 10 inches of rain, which is estimated to be a 200-year storm event.
The new bridge restores a direct route for emergency responders and residents on this major east-west connector in Richmond County. The posted detour was lifted Friday afternoon.
County Bridge Road carries an average of 237 vehicles a day.
Bridge inspections following the June 2021 storm found the bridge abutment and piers had sustained significant damage and there was stream bed loss around the bridge piers. Due to the severity of damage to the bridge, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) determined that a total bridge replacement provided the best long-term service option. The $3.2 million replacement cost was funded through the state bridge maintenance and operations fund.
Construction began in December 2022, after completion of the project design and preliminary engineering phase. The new bridge is opening around a month before the contract completion date in late April 2024.
The project contractor was Bryant Structures, Inc.
