VDOT to fix hole in Chatham Bridge

One eastbound lane of the State Route 3 Chatham Bridge is closed after a hole formed in the bridge deck on Saturday.

Other lanes on the bridge over the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg are unaffected and remain open, said Kelly Hannon of the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The hole, which is 2 feet by 3 feet across, is now covered with a temporary steel plate, she said.

The travel lane may be closed for the next 24 to 72 hours. Today, VDOT will install a larger steel plate that is the width of an entire travel lane to cover the hole and seal with an asphalt mix. This may allow VDOT to open the travel lane to traffic.

Bridge engineers have determined that the hole will be repaired from underneath the bridge. VDOT will bring a truck with an extended arm that can swing over the bridge rail so that repairs can be made. Concrete will be poured to fill the hole in the deck, and asphalt will be used to restore the travel lane.

—staff reports

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