A contract valued at $2.2 million was awarded to Fairfield-Echols LL.C of Fishersville for the construction of the Route 727 (Airport Road) bridge in Rockingham County. The contract was awarded by VDOT Commissioner Greg Whirley on Jan. 25.
The purpose of this project is to construct a new bridge and realign Route 727 (Airport Road) at North River. The project extends from Route 11 (Lee Highway) to 0.42 miles west of Route 11. This location is between Route 11 and Route 696 (Kisers Road) and extends over to Route 42 (Warm Springs Pike) just south of the Town of Bridgewater. Airport Road provides access to Dynamic Aviation. The bridge has been closed since Nov. 1, 2011 following damage from an overweight vehicle striking the bridge.
The old bridge at this site was built in 1961, and was a single lane, two-span truss structure. A separate contract, valued at $133,068, was awarded to Lanford Brothers Inc. of Roanoke to remove the old truss bridge. This bridge was removed on February 13, 2012. The former bridge was 15-feet wide and 211-feet long.
A new, two-lane structure will be built in approximately the same location. The new bridge will be 40-feet wide and 208-feet long featuring two, 12-foot travel lanes. Of the eight-foot wide shoulders, four-feet will be paved. The road will have a 50-mile-per-hour design speed. This will be achieved by removing three substandard curves and realigning Route 727. The hill on the road will have 30 mile-per-hour design speed.
Construction activities will begin in February with completion in late 2013.
The road currently carries 1,592 vehicles per day. This number is projected to increase to 2,172 vehicles per day by 2035.
Design plans presented at the Sept. 8, 2011, public hearing were approved on December 16, 2011. Advertisement for construction of the new bridge was advanced from fall 2015 to fall 2012.
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Chris Graham
