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North Anna River bridge in Spotsylvania closed until week of Aug. 4

By KELLY HANNON

Date published: 7/23/2008

By KELLY HANNON

The Davenport Bridge on Mount Olive Road in Spotsylvania County will not reopen until the week of Aug. 4, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

An iron railing on the single-lane, timber-deck bridge over the North Anna River was damaged July 13, said Tina Bundy, VDOT spokeswoman.

The bridge is 8 to 10 feet wide. Only one vehicle can cross at a time.

Sometimes, VDOT can barricade a damaged section of bridge and leave the rest open to traffic. That wasn't possible in this case.

"It is such a small bridge, there wouldn't be enough clearance," Bundy said.

Materials to fix the bridge have been ordered.

An average of 445 vehicles a day cross the bridge.

It straddles the Hanover/Spotsylvania county line.

There are multiple detours using secondary roads in the area, although most routes will add 10 miles to a trip, Bundy said.

The Mount Olive Bridge was built in 1943. It is scheduled to be replaced in VDOT's Six-Year Improvement Program, but the project needs full funding before work can begin.

The crash occurred at 2 a.m. July 13. A silver Ford F150 truck crashed into the railing, said Sgt. F.L. Tyler of the Virginia State Police.

James Trevor Sprinkle, 26, of Stanardsville, was charged with reckless driving, Tyler said.

Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com

Date published: 7/23/2008