Youngkin visits to sign bill expediting bridge replacement

With the Robert O. Norris Jr. Memorial Bridge in the background, Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday, Aug. 28, ceremonially signed legislation to speed up the replacement bridge project by eight years. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028.

When completed, the new bridge will feature two, 12-foot travel lanes — up from the current 11 feet; six-foot-wide shoulders; and a 42-inch high rail — up from 32 inches. While roughly 7,500 cars currently make the river crossing daily, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has previously indicated the new bridge will be designed for the 11,500 vehicles expected by 2050.

The $724 million replacement bridge is one of 21 special structures to be funded with the Commonwealth Transportation Special Structures Revenue Bond Act of 2025 (Senate Bill 1082), patronized by Sen. Ryan McDougle.

“When I came into office, I just asked the question, ‘why can’t we go faster?’ And I have to say, one of the great realizations that Transportation Secretary (Sheppard) Miller and the rest of our cabinet have had is, we can go faster,” said Gov. Youngkin. This bill “allows us to bond into future revenue streams to pull forward financing capacity, $200 million a year, a billion dollars of capacity that this bill unlocks for us to move forward with projects.”

––

With all the anticipation about the new bridge, it will still be several years before cars will be crossing it. “Until the day the new bridge opens, our mission will be the same — we’ll continue to include regular, rigorous maintenance and inspection of the existing bridge,” VDOT commissioner Stephen Brich said. “We will sustain the bridge and provide for a safe crossing for travelers until the new bridge is delivered on time and on budget for the benefit of the Commonwealth and the region.”

The Norris Bridge will remain open to traffic during construction of the new bridge. Once the replacement bridge has opened to traffic, the existing bridge will be demolished.    

The Norris Bridge replacement project is anticipated to be procured as a design-build project.