Centerville Turnpike Bridge Replacement Feasibility Study

Purpose of Study

Note: This replacement study, which began in 2018, is not related to the Centerville Turnpike Bridge repair project resulting from the November 2020 barge strike incident.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate alternatives that may replace the Centerville Turnpike Bridge and widen the roadway from two lanes to four lanes to improve traffic and marine operations, safety, and the resiliency of the roadway.

The existing bridge is considered functionally obsolete, meaning it does not have adequate capacity to serve current traffic demands. The two-lane bridge experiences daily backups during peak travel times. These backups are exacerbated during bridge openings, often extending more than one mile. These backups will worsen as area traffic continues to grow. Widening to four lanes will provide the capacity needed to adequately handle projected traffic volumes.

The anticipated sea level rise from storm and wind driven tide events in the next 20 years can be anticipated to result in an increase above the existing water surface for all storm events. More frequent and slower moving storms result in increased precipitation and run-off that will increase water level at the Centreville Turnpike Bridge by 2040, which could flood the roadway approaches to the bridge forcing traffic to detour around this water crossing.

The roadway approaches would need to be reconstructed to an elevation above the anticipated water level rise to enhance resiliency and allow safe travel during storm or wind-driven flood events. The study will evaluate alternatives that will increase the reliability of access and connectivity on this critical roadway between the City of Chesapeake and the City of Virginia Beach.

Study Description

The study limits begin at the Mt. Pleasant Road intersection and extend north to the Elbow Road intersection, and will evaluate and compare five design alternatives, plus the "no-build" alternative.

Study alternatives include replacing the bridge with a fixed bridge or a movable bridge.

The alternatives include replacing the bridge east or west of the current crossing.

Environmental, right-of-way, utility, and construction impacts will be evaluated and compared for each alternative.

After these evaluations, one preferred alternative will be identified. The completion of a subsequent environmental assessment will be required.

Proposed Project Budget

The budget for a proposed project based on these study alignments is estimated between $200 million to $250 million. Project cost estimates are preliminary and subject to change depending on final design features, inflation, right-of-way and utility relocation costs.

General Features of Proposed Alignment

Access will be maintained to the Centerville Waterway Marina and adjacent properties, including Camp Baker.

Proposal will provide a minimum 65-foot clearance above the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal.

Assumes the existing bridge remains open to traffic while the new bridge is being constructed.

Alternative 01: West Alignment, Fixed Bridge

This alignment will include the fewest right-of-way impacts of the western alignments.

This alignment will include the fewest impacts to traffic during construction of the west alignments.

Access will be maintained to the Centerville Waterway Marina and adjacent properties, including Camp Baker.

A fixed bridge will provide a 65-foot clearance above the canal.

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