THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 4, 1996 TAG: 9604040333
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CINDY CLAYTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
The first complete section of the new George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge floated down the Elizabeth River from Norfolk International Terminals Wednesday and over the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on its way to Yorktown.
The 210-foot, 1,294-ton portion left NIT almost ready to go into service. Its light poles were attached and traffic stripes lined its concrete road. It rose seven stories above two barges.
Flanked by Moran tugs and closely followed by a tug owned by Tidewater Construction Corp. - prime contractor for the new bridge - the barges floated at about six knots, or nearly seven mph.
At Yorktown, it will be moored near the old bridge, built in 1952. During a 12-day shutdown, May 4-16, the span and five other larger sections, built at NIT, will be pieced into place. Sections of the original bridge, spanning the York River between Gloucester Point and Yorktown, will be floated to NIT to be demolished.
``This is the first time (in Virginia) a bridge is being floated this way with the concrete and stripes and lights. . . . It's ready to go,'' said James C. Cleveland, Suffolk district administrator for the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Gusty March winds had prevented Tidewater Construction Corp. from moving the first section earlier, but officials seemed pleased by the calm winds and blue, sunny skies Wednesday.
``I hope that this is a good omen that everything will move as scheduled,'' said James C. Cleveland, Suffolk District administrator for VDOT.
The Coast Guard Cutter Aquidneck and several auxiliary boats were on hand Wednesday to keep pleasure boats 500 yards away from the span.
The same safety zone will be enforced during all float-ins. And all traffic on the York River near the construction site will be halted during the shutdown and for 30 days afterward.
Once the shutdown is over, VDOT officials hope to have two lanes open to traffic. All four lanes will open in August.
When complete, the new bridge will be twice the size with two of its lanes carrying Route 17 north toward Gloucester and two headed south toward Yorktown. It will be able to carry 30,000 cars daily. It now carries 28,000.
Tidewater Construction, of Virginia Beach, was awarded a $72.7 million contract to build the bridge in 1993. Other costs, including highway approaches, will bring the total cost of the project to $103 million. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by L. TODD SPENCER
The first replace- ment piece of the bridge moves past the
Chamberlin Hotel in Hampton, as seen from the Hampton Roads
Bridge-Tunnel.
Map
by CNB