Starting tonight, construction crews will begin installing beams for the second half of the new Huguenot Memorial Bridge over the James River. The beam installations will take place between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday through Friday through Sept. 7, weather permitting. There will be no beam installations on Labor Day.

For driver safety, traffic will be stopped periodically for up to 45 minutes each night as cranes lift 80,000 pound steel beams over the bridge and secure them into place on the new bridge. Huguenot Bridge traffic will resume between beam installations.

To avoid delays during the beam installations, VDOT recommends Huguenot Road (Route 147) drivers use the following alternate routes:

Northbound – Chippenham Parkway (Route 150) north over the Willey Bridge to River Road east to Huguenot Road or use Powhite Parkway/Route 76 (toll) east into Richmond

Southbound – River Road west to Chippenham Parkway (Route 150) south to Huguenot Road

“The contractor is installing these heavy beams from the temporary causeway on the west side of the bridge in order to reduce the weight over a critical water main on the east side of the bridge,” said Harold Dyson, district construction manager. “Crews will secure the beams as quickly as possible to limit driver delays each night.” The contractor expects to install 22 beams through Sept. 7 and another 22 beams in October (schedule to be announced).

Efforts to build a new bridge to replace the 62-year old Huguenot Memorial Bridge began in October 2010. Traffic was shifted to the first half of the new bridge on June 30. Demolition of the old bridge is underway. The second half of the new bridge is expected to be completed and open to drivers in summer 2013. The $54.5 million project is currently on schedule for final completion in October 2013.

For more information about the Huguenot Bridge project, visit http://www.huguenotbridge.org