Gwynn's Island Bridge has reopened to marine traffic

Gwynn's Island Bridge is opening again for large boats.Image courtesy of W. Vogelbein/VIMS.

Bridge openings resumed for marine traffic at the Gwynn’s Island Bridge at Milford Haven in Mathews County on February 1, VDOT announced.

The bridge, which connects Gwynn’s Island with the mainland, was closed to marine traffic on January 22 after it was determined that an emergency mechanical repair was required to operate the bridge’s moveable swing span. When the closure was announced, VDOT released a statement saying that a new part had to be fabricated for the repair.

This is the second time within a year VDOT has closed Gwynn’s Island Bridge to marine traffic due to problems with the moveable swing span. It experienced a failure last June, and crews tried to make an immediate repair, but found that wasn’t possible VDOT announced via press release.

“We know that summer is a busy time on the water, and we regret that mariners that operate larger boats will not have direct access to reach the Piankatank River and Chesapeake Bay,” Joyce McGowan, VDOT Fredericksburg District Maintenance Administrator said in that announcement.

The bridge, which was built in 1938, only has a navigational clearance of 11 feet vertically and 80 feet horizontally when closed.

Given the inconvenience for many boaters, when the bridge can’t be opened, VDOT said it has a maintenance project planned that will improve the condition of the bridge’s mechanical elements connected with the moveable swing span. Crews will be mobilizing equipment and materials while parts are in fabrication, and repairs are expected to begin in spring 2022, a VDOT press release noted.

Currently, the daily scheduled openings are at 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m.