ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, Va. — If your weekend trip includes commuting on the James River Bridge (JRB), you'll need to find an alternate route. A worker is working on the second of two maintenance sessions he has planned.
Construction crews are replacing 40 more wire ropes on the bridge. They worked on the first 40 sets in mid-January.
RELATED: Maintenance work to close James River Bridge for several days for second time
“My idea was, 'Let's do it all in one stop,' but I know it might take a long time. So I decided to split it up. But yeah, I'll get it done quickly. The more you can do, the better. That's my opinion,” said Smithfield resident Sherema Atkins.
From 1 a.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, critical maintenance will reroute drivers and shut down the bridge lift for marine traffic.
Smithfield resident Melinda Gwaltney likes to use JRB to shop in Newport News.
“When you go somewhere, it takes an extra 10 to 30 minutes to get where you want to go,” Gwaltney said. “People say it's having a big impact on their lives because people these days have to pay for extra gas out of pocket, which they don't have.”
Atkins said he has relatives who work on the peninsula.
“For some people, it can take up to 40 minutes just to cross the bridge, for some people it can take 20 to 40 minutes,” Atkins said.
Steven Cook, a Carrollton resident, works in Hampton. He took Friday off from his job. On Monday, he plans to use the Monitor Merrimack Memorial Bridge Tunnel instead.
“It's not too bad to go because I usually travel around 5 a.m., but when I get home, I've heard some horror stories about coming home in the evening,” Cook said.
Other alternative routes include the Jamestown-Scotland ferry and Route 460, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials said.
They said the wire rope replacement project is aimed at extending the operational life of the JRB. This also reduces unscheduled repairs and improves safety.
“Hopefully it will help with that and everything like that,” Gwaltney said.
A spokesperson for Isle of Wight County Schools told 13News Now that one-third of its staff commute to school on JRB. So administrators made Fridays, when students were off, a virtual work day for teachers.
RELATED: Isle of Wight County Schools staff to work virtually Friday and Monday during James River Bridge closure
Late last year, department leaders made some adjustments to the schedule to accommodate the bridge closure. Students will return from their three-day vacation on Monday instead, and starting Tuesday they will begin their second semester.
Additionally, due to the impact on maritime travel, it may be extended for a further 24 hours to allow for a smooth test lift.
JRB's closure period last month was shorter than expected as crews finished ahead of schedule.
RELATED: James River Bridge reopens early after weekend closure
