CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The $60 million Deep Creek Bridge replacement project in Chesapeake has been delayed again, with traffic now expected to shift to the new span between mid-March and April, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The project, which began in 2023, was originally scheduled to move traffic to the new bridge by the end of January. However, recent winter weather conditions have impacted the construction timeline.
"The recent winter weather conditions have understandably impacted our construction schedule. We're currently assessing the schedule impacts and anticipate the traffic shift will now occur in the mid-March to April timeframe," Mark W. Haviland, Chief of Public Affairs for the Norfolk District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said in a statement.
The delay continues to frustrate residents like Kent Determan, who has lived in the Deep Creek area for 16 years.
"The amount of traffic has probably quadrupled," Determan said. "I've sat in that before, for 20 minutes, from up by Shell Road just to get here, which is not even half a mile."
The new bridge will replace the nearly 100-year-old Deep Creek Bridge, a federally owned and operated two-lane structure that's part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The replacement will be longer and wider, featuring five lanes with a drawbridge that opens for boats.
Despite the latest delay, Determan remains skeptical about the timeline.
"I'm not holding my breath for anything that happens in Chesapeake, slow process," Determan said.
The Army Corps of Engineers said they will work with the City of Chesapeake to keep the public informed through all communication channels as crews continue working on the project.
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