FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The Route 223 (Old Ferry Road) bridge over Milford Haven in Mathews County will resume scheduled openings for marine traffic in mid-April 2023.

Marine openings will be limited to six times a day on a temporary basis. Openings will occur at 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m.

When the bridge is open for marine traffic, motorists on Route 223 can expect to be stopped for approximately 30 minutes. If no marine traffic is present at a scheduled time, no opening will occur.

The two-lane movable swing span bridge connects Gwynn's Island with mainland Mathews. The bridge is currently undergoing a $10.7 million rehabilitation project to improve the mechanical and electrical systems that operate the swing span.

In mid-April, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will announce a specific date for scheduled marine openings to resume.

Repairs will continue through fall 2023. When all work is finished, the bridge will be able to resume opening for marine traffic on demand.

Marine openings at the bridge were suspended in August 2022, but work has been underway since early 2022, when fabrication began for specialty pieces required to operate the movable swing span. The bridge was built in 1938.

Due to additional time required for part fabrication, the project will continue beyond the scheduled completion date of April 5, 2023.

"We appreciate the continued patience of local mariners as we finish the final stages of this repair project to improve the condition of the bridge, ensuring that it remains in good condition for travelers on the water and on the road," said Michael Coffey, P.E., VDOT Fredericksburg District Construction Engineer. "Scheduled openings will resume in April to provide limited access for mariners traveling between Milford Haven and the Chesapeake Bay during the busiest seasons of the year, and we look forward to restoring full access later this year."

For more information and updates, visit the project page on VirginiaDOT.org.

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VDOT’s 14-county Fredericksburg District includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford in the Fredericksburg area; Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster and Westmoreland counties in the Northern Neck; Essex, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews and Middlesex counties in the Middle Peninsula.