Installation of a new bridge will close Sorghum Road to through traffic at Mill Stream for approximately six weeks; Motorists should follow posted detour route.
Route 660 (Sorghum Road) in King and Queen County will be closed to through traffic for approximately six weeks to allow Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews to install a new bridge.
Sorghum Road will close at the bridge over Mill Stream on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Crews will remove the existing structurally deficient bridge, which is located between Route 619 (Owens Mill Road) and Route 721 (Newtown Road). A new structure will be installed. Weather permitting, Sorghum Road will re-open in early April 2019.
Motorists are encouraged to follow signs along the posted detour route, which is approximately 8.7 miles:
- Route 619 (Owens Mill Road)
- Route 623 (Indian Neck Road)
- Route 640 (Lyneville Road)
- Route 721 (Newtown Road)
The existing bridge was built in 1965 and has steel beams with a timber deck. The new bridge will be a Glulam structure, which is a glued, laminated timber bridge engineered to carry modern vehicle weights. The replacement bridge will continue to have steel beams.
After the bridge installation is complete, paving work will occur within several weeks, along with the installation of new guardrail.
The bridge has a current weight restriction of 17 tons for single unit vehicles and 23 tons for tractor-trailers. Following final inspection of the new bridge, the weight posting will be removed.
Sorghum Road carries an average of 160 vehicles a day, according to a VDOT traffic count.
Colonial Beach News 