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Work underway to replace bridge in Newport News, expected to take two years

VDOT expects the construction to wrap up summer 2021.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — VDOT is tearing down the Denbigh Boulevard bridge and building a new one in its place. The bridge sits over Interstate 64 between Warwick Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue.

VDOT said the bridge, built more than 50 years ago, is structurally deficient, and the project will upgrade the interstate overpass to meet current design standards.

The work will be done in two stages so that VDOT can keep one lane of traffic open in each direction.

Right now, Denbigh Boulevard at the bridge is two lanes for the time being as VDOT works to build the first side of the new bridge. Once that's finished, next year VDOT will replace the other side of the bridge. When it's all said and done, drivers are getting a new four-lane bridge, raised median and wider sidewalks.

Jenna Vandijk said she drives across Denbigh Boulevard often. She said the replacement bridge has been a long time coming.

"I would love it,” Vandijk said. “They have been doing work on Denbigh for a while, but everything but the bridge.”

According to VDOT's traffic counts, more than 23,000 cars went across Denbigh Boulevard every day last year.

During the first phase of the project, drivers will not be able to get on Denbigh from Richneck. During the second phase in 2020, access to and from Denbigh Boulevard to Richneck Road will be prohibited for the remainder of the project.

Drivers like Vandijk said regardless, a new bridge is long overdue.

“I'm just glad they're working on it,” Vandijk said.

You can read more about the project and detours here.

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