VDOT News - Fredericksburg

UPDATE (March 2, 2023): The Route 223 bridge (Old Ferry Road) over Milford Haven in Mathews County will remain open to traffic overnight on Tuesday, March 7-Wednesday, March 8. Motorists will be able to cross between Gwynn's Island and mainland Mathews on this evening. An overnight bridge closure scheduled for March 7-8 has been cancelled, as repair work planned to be accomplished that evening was finished during the bridge closure on Feb. 26-27.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Vehicle traffic will not be permitted to cross the Route 223 (Old Ferry Road) bridge over Milford Haven that connects Gwynn's Island and mainland Mathews County during two overnight closures:

• 10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26 – 6 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27
• 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 7 – 6 a.m. Wednesday, March 8

During these overnight closures, crews will replace the center bearing, which is a critical piece of equipment that operates the bridge's movable swing span. While crews are completing this task, weight must be minimized on the bridge.

Emergency service providers will have personnel and equipment located on Gwynn’s Island to respond to any needs during the bridge closure. VDOT and its contractor are prepared to facilitate passage over the bridge during the overnight closure if required for emergency responders.

Message boards will be placed near the bridge approaches and on Route 198 on Monday, Feb. 6, to notify area residents and travelers of the upcoming closure dates and times.

Project Background

A $10.7 million maintenance project is underway to improve the bridge's mechanical and electrical elements and make spot structural steel repairs. The project is also renovating the bridge tender house.

Built in 1938, the Route 223 bridge opens for marine traffic around 3,000 times a year, which is more than any other state-maintained movable bridge in Virginia.

The bridge’s navigational clearance is 11 feet vertically and 80 feet horizontally when closed. Watercraft that cannot navigate underneath the bridge within this clearance require the swing span to open.

Due to the condition of the bridge before the project, openings for marine traffic were limited to six times a day: 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

The maintenance project will restore the ability of the bridge to open on demand for marine traffic.

Repair work required the bridge to close to all marine traffic in August 2022. Watercraft that do not require a bridge opening are permitted to continue traveling under the bridge at most times during the project.

The project contractor is Archer Western Construction, LLC.

The project's contracted completion is April 2023.

Learn more about the project online at virginiadot.org/Route223bridge.

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VDOT’s 14-county Fredericksburg District includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford in the Fredericksburg area; Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster and Westmore

Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.