CHINCOTEAGUE -- The new bridge to Chincoteague is on schedule for an April 2 opening if the weather cooperates. That was the message delivered to the Chincoteague Town Council Monday evening by Tom Rakowski of the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Despite all the adverse weather conditions encountered by the area so far this year, employees of American Bridge have been able to make headway on the new bridge and the April 2 date seems to be in reach.
"Depending on the weather we may be able to beat that target date," said Rakowski.
Rakowski said workers have been able to work on the new path to Chincoteague and the spur that leads to Marsh Island in recent weeks.
There remain, Rakowski stated, a few temperature sensitive jobs to be done, such as the road stripes on the new asphalt.
Drivers to and from Chincoteague in the coming weeks will see a new one-way path to Chincoteague as workers shift their attention from one side to the other.
"We need to shift the traffic one more time," said Rakowski. "The present detour road covers up part of the ramp."
The plan is to switch the detour to the north side and finish paving on the south side of the detour. "When we finish the south side and we take that detour sign down the bridge will be open for traffic," said Rakowski. "That will probably be the last two weeks in March."
Rakowski said the drawbridge has been undergoing "testing procedures" the past few weeks and everything seems to be going smoothly.
"Everything is functional on primary and backup power," he said. "And the span should be fully operational by the end of this week."
The new traffic signal will be state-of-the-art with an override feature that allows ambulance drivers to activate a green light while on emergency calls over the bridge.
"We've learned that there is a freight train of modular homes waiting for the bridge to open," said Rakowski. "We did our best to expedite that because some them are so big and wide they just can't get through that 'S' turn."
Rakowski said that some of council's ideas have been incorporated into the new bridge, including placing crape myrtles instead of loblolly pines near the entrance.
The main bridge is planned to be open by April 2 and the spur to Marsh Island should be completed by Aug. 26. Rakowski said the demolition of the old span should be complete by Dec. 13.
Rakowski and representatives from American Bridge and VDOT will meet next week for an informational meeting on how to proceed.
He said there will be time to have an "open house" for the new bridge and the old bridge before the demolition.
Rakowski said he had one request from a 92-year-old lady who as a child used to jump off the old bridge. She wants to be among the first to cross the new span.
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