The Richmond-Dresden swing bridge on Rt. 197 will have only one lane open to cars on Aug. 1 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. while the Dept. of Transportation undertakes repairs to the 69-year-old structure.
The bridge was stuck in the open position on July 30 when one of the four wedge pins that secure the bridge sheared off. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic for an hour and a half while DOT employees made temporary repairs.
According to Randy Bodge, DOT Operations Manager for Bridges, Region 2, DOT workers fixed the problem temporarily on July 30, and will repair the wedge pin problem permanently Aug. 1.
The Coast Guard will alert mariners that the bridge will not be able to swing open until Aug. 2. Drivers can call 511 for updates on any transportation issues, Bodge said.
The bridge was built in 1933, said Bodge, and this problem with the wedge pins happened twice before, but always on the other side. The bridge operates on a web assembly system, Bodge said. When the pin sheared off, the arm of the bridge put itself in the path of concrete pier where the bridge seats itself.
Most of the issues we’ve had with this bridge have been electrical outages,” Bodge said. “Sometimes welding needs to be rewelded, but it is not a structural issue. The bridge is safe, but narrow. It is on the replacement list.”
