No official closure date has been decided, but expect a full closure by July.

The Centerville Turnpike Bridge in Chesapeake is closing for six months or longer due to a rehabilitation project to restore and increase the safety of the bridge. At least 16,000 vehicles pass through on a daily basis, so this closure will cause major delays and traffic congestion during the duration of the work. 

The city is urging commuters to plan extra time into their commutes (great – just great) as heavy traffic congestions and detours will occur. The $10.5 million project is expected to begin in late July 2019 and last until spring of 2020. 

The City of Chesapeake will post updates and an alternate route of how to get around the area to their social media pages, their website, and Chesapeake Alert. 

According to The City of Chesapeake's website, "This project is necessary to improve the infrastructure that allows the bridge to open for maritime traffic to pass, and will result in a more reliable, safer bridge for boat and vehicle traffic alike."

Since the Centerville Turnpike is a busy area, residents and local businesses are upset over the news, as it is already difficult enough to get to the interstate. Businesses surrounding the area rely on the bridge traffic and expect that the closure will negatively affect their business, temporarily, as regulars inevitably choose not to come in as frequently. 

"Every time they’ve closed the bridge in the past, its definitely killed our business," said Ashley Bryant, owner of Angie's Family Restaurant. Hopefully, our customers will drive the extra miles to get to us, and it won’t affect us too bad."

In order to prevent any further delays, Public Works plans to hold off on any other projects in the area until the rehabilitation project is complete. 

Do you live in that area of Chesapeake and cross over the bridge every day? What are your thoughts on the closure? Tell us in the comments.