Route 616 (Union Mills Road) in Fluvanna County will remain closed to through traffic west of Route 15 (James Madison Highway) due to a culvert washout caused by the torrential rains Wednesday evening.
A detour is in place using Route 631 (Troy Road), Routes 633 and 600 (North Boston Road).
The large pipe, which measures 16 feet by 10 feet, is located about one-quarter mile east of Route 600 (South Boston Road). It was damaged and partially collapsed by the heavy rain and debris washed downstream on Steger Creek. Water then flowed over the pipe, undermining and finally collapsing part of the westbound lane on Route 616.
Before the new pipe can be set in place the damaged pipe must be dug out and removed. That will require excavating the soil above and around the pipe, which sits about 20 feet beneath the roadway. After removing the pipe a VDOT contractor will put a new culvert in place, backfill the excavation and repave the road.
The entire project, including delivery, assembly and placement of the new culvert and restoring the roadway, is estimated to take four to six weeks. Due to the significant work required to remove the old pipe it is not feasible to reopen the road before the pipe is replaced.
Drivers should check www.511virginia.org or the 511 mobile app for updated information about traffic conditions and follow @VaDOTCULP on Twitter for updates.
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Chris Graham
