NEWPORT NEWS. Va. (WAVY) — Drivers using the James River Bridge connecting Newport News to Carrollton will see several extended closures between November and February.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the James River Bridge will undergo a wire rope replacement project. VDOT tells 10 On Your Side it involves the replacement of 80 main counterweight ropes used during bridge lifts.

The work to replace the ropes requires two full closures of the bridge for both drivers and boaters. The construction is scheduled to happen between November 15, 2023, and February 15, 2024.

The closures are anticipated to start at 1 a.m. on a Friday and reopen at 5 a.m. the following Tuesday. Again, the exact dates have not been established.

10 On Your Side is working to learn more about the set dates for the closures and backup dates. VDOT says the two closures will be scheduled at least two weeks apart.

For mariners requiring bridge lifts, the closure time frame will be a day longer and won’t reopen until 5 a.m. the following Wednesday.

Detours for the James River Bridge include the Jamestown Settlement Ferry and the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT, I-664).

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