Traffic alert: New Route 11 bridge in Shenandoah County opens Saturday

Traffic is scheduled to begin traveling on the new Route 11 (Old Valley Pike) bridge in Shenandoah County on Saturday, July 29.

The new bridge over the North Fork Shenandoah River is between Route 720 (Wissler Road) and the Mount Jackson southern town limits.

The Virginia Department of Transportation awarded a 44.6 million construction contract to Fairfield-Echols LLC of Fishersville in January 2022, and the completion date of the project is August 25, 2023.

The new Route 11 bridge is about 38 feet wide, 14 feet wider than the old bridge. The additional width will accommodate two 11-foot travel lanes, an 11-foot shoulder on the west side of the bridge and a five-foot shoulder on the east side.

Route 11 traffic will transition to the new bridge with a traffic lane-shift. The new bridge was built just east of the existing truss bridge. Contractors for the Virginia Department of Transportation began in early 2022 to replace the older bridge, which dates back to 1933 and has reached the end of its service life.

Contractors will begin to remove the old bridge and finale the project after Route 11 motorists begin using the new bridge. Drivers should remain alert for shoulder closures and occasional flagger traffic control. The work-zone speed limit is 45 miles an hour.

All work is weather permitting. The traffic-shift schedule is subject to change.