James River Bridge (Interstate 95)

The James River Bridge carries Interstate 95 across the James River in Richmond, Virginia.

James River Bridge (I-95)
Main Street Station as seen from the northbound James River Bridge.
Coordinates37°31′41″N 77°25′45″W
Carries I-95
CrossesJames River
LocaleRichmond, Virginia
Maintained byVirginia Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Total length4,185 feet long
History
Opened1958[1]
Statistics
Tollnone
Location

History

The original 6 lane structure was built in 1957 and 1958 as part of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike and was financed with toll revenue bonds issued by the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

In 1975, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) assumed the operations of former Turnpike Authority. Although the initial bonds were retired in 1975, additional tolls were collected to finance improvements along other sections of the former Turnpike. Tolls for the bridge and I-95 were finally completely removed in 1992.

Beginning in 1976, a complicated connection with the Downtown Expressway—a newer toll road built by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA)—was constructed on the bridge itself.

The bridge was re-decked by VDOT from 1999 to August 2002.[2]

Flooding

The bridge is high above the river, and is not considered in danger of flooding during periods when the river periodically floods. However, in the past the southern approach has been subject to closure due to flooding of the James River, notably after Hurricane Camille in 1969, Hurricane Agnes in 1972, and Hurricane Gloria in 1985.

Richmond's Flood Wall, designed to prevent a 280-year flood, completed in 1995 at a cost of about $142 million, is hoped to prevent such future closures.[3]

References
  1. "Bridge beats the Clock." Richmond Times-Dispatch. August 3, 2002. Quoted in I-95 James River Bridge Restoration. Roads to the Future. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  2. "Richmond Downtown Aerial Photos". Roadstothefuture.com. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
  3. "Richmond's Flood Wall". Richmond City Watch. Archived from the original on 2005-03-13. Retrieved 2010-03-28.

Media related to James River Bridge (Interstate 95) at Wikimedia Commons

  • DHRM WebCAM view from the 13th Floor of the State of Virginia's Monroe Building pointed Southward showing I-95 & James River Bridge in Richmond, Va.


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