Bridge repairs frustrate homeowners

Some people living on a local road are upset.  Starting on Wednesday the only bridge that gets them out of their neighborhood will be closed during the day for repairs.  It’s on Old Rail Road in Botetourt County.

In the last inspection before the bridge is scheduled to be repaired, Senior Bridge and Safety Inspector Mark Robinson determines its final condition before the upgrade.

“I’d rate this deck a poor.  It’s weathered, checked, cracked. It’s in advance stage of decay,” Robinson said.  “It needs to be replaced as soon as possible.”

After a few minor upgrades last year, this time VDOT plans to replace the entire surface of the bridge, but some people who cross it everyday say the month and a half long repairs are more than just a minor inconvenience

“If you don’t leave your home at 8 o’clock in the morning, 9 o’clock at the latest, you’re just not going to get out of here all day.  I think that’s just asking a lot,” said Rachel Rock, who crosses the bridge everyday to get home.

VDOT says there are other ways for these homeowners to leave their house during the day, but taking the alternate route means driving across Craig Creek, a concern for Rock.

“A lot of people around here have cars, there’s a lot of elderly people here,” she said.

Rock first learned about the construction a week ago, no phone call or a knock at the door from VDOT explaining what would happen, just a posted sign on the side of the road.

“I understand the bridge needs repaired, gosh the bridge is old, it’s in desperate need of repair, I understand that,” explained Rock.  “It’s just the way that this has been handled has been very bad.”

While VDOT works to repair the weathered bridge, Rock is hoping they will also work on a compromise.

Late Monday afternoon, Ten On Your Side learned VDOT is working to better accommodate the homeowners.
   
VDOT tells us it will let emergency vehicles through and they will open the bridge at lunch time to let people in and out.
   
They also determined the alternate route is not adequate.