Home Albemarle County: Route 20 bridge rehab in Scottsville area set to begin on Nov. 6
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Albemarle County: Route 20 bridge rehab in Scottsville area set to begin on Nov. 6

Crystal Graham
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(© John Alphonse – stock.adobe.com)

A contractor for the Virginia Department of Transportation will soon reduce Route 708 (Red Hill Road) to one lane at Route 20 (Scottsville Road) in Albemarle County to rehabilitate the bridge over the North Fork Hardware River.

The structure, built in 1959, is located north of Scottsville.

The $5.3 million project includes widening the bridge’s foundation, rebuilding the superstructure with new steel beams and replacing the concrete deck riding surface. The improved bridge will feature wider travel lanes and include standard concrete railings.

The latest data available reports approximately 9,000 vehicles use this leg of Route 20 daily, so drivers should be aware they will encounter backups during construction.

The expected completion date for the bridge is Dec. 5, 2024.

Traffic pattern updates

  • Crews will reduce Red Hill Road to one lane and install a three-way traffic signal at the intersection with Scottsville Road.
  • The speed limit on Route 20, about half a mile on either side of the intersection, is also going down from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour to prepare drivers for the traffic signal. The speed limit reduction goes into effect the week of Nov. 6 when initial work begins.
  • Drivers will see road work signs and flagging teams working at the intersection.
  • As construction ramps up, the temporary traffic signals will be put into place to control the intersection. VDOT expects message boards to go up this December advising drivers of the timeframe for the temporary signal installation.
  • During construction, vehicles wider than 11 feet will not have access to Red Hill Road from Route 20.

For more information, visit my.vdot.virginia.gov

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.