N. Landing Bridge to close temporarily

NORFOLK, Va. - The North Landing Bridge, built in 1951 and located on the Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, Va. borders, where Mount Pleasant Road turns into North Landing Road, will close for repairs for approximately two months beginning in mid-November.

Using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA funding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, awarded a $193,000 contract to Luna Development, an 8 (a) small business contractor in Norfolk, and a $1.6 million contract to U.S. Facilities, a minority-owned contractor from Philadelphia, Pa.

Luna Development is performing bridge house repairs, which includes additional security at the bridge house and upgrading the energy-efficient bridge house with windows, doors, roofing, air conditioning and heat.

U.S. Facilities will perform the second work phase - when the bridge closes to vehicular traffic. Repairs include the removal and replacement of the existing bridge surface, steel grid replacement and concrete fill, repairs to the underwater support pilings and concrete abutments, and replacement of traffic control lights and poles and traffic control gates.

While the bridge is closed, travelers headed south on North Landing Bridge in Virginia Beach can detour around the bridge by using Indian River Road to Kempsville Road to Centerville Turnpike, back to Mount Pleasant Road. The detour should be followed in reverse for motorists traveling north on Mount Pleasant Road in Chesapeake. This detour will be marked.

Travelers are also reminded that only repairs are being made to the 58-year-old bridge span and bridge house. Once completed, the load limits, vessel clearance, capacity and width of the bridge will remain the same. Throughout repairs, the bridge will remain open to boating traffic; closed to vehicular traffic.

The cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach have been notified and detour signs will be posted. The U.S. Coast Guard will not issue a Notice to Mariners since boat traffic will not be affected.