Morgan’s Ford Bridge: wider, higher and not falling apart piece-by-piece

Traversing the new Morgan’s Ford Bridge for the first time – Photos/Roger

FRONT ROYAL – During his Report to the EDA on Friday, January 26, County Administrator Doug Stanley noted it had been a busy first week of traffic on the newly-opened, two-lane Morgan’s Ford Bridge. While some touch-up work remains, the bridge opened to traffic on Monday, January 22.

Following a Wednesday, January 24 visit to colleague Malcolm Barr Sr. in Rockland this reporter decided to see for himself. These are photographs taken of that first trip across the new and improved Morgan’s Ford Bridge over the Shenandoah River. As Barr reported on January 19, the old, single lane low-water bridge closed shortly after a $4.8 million contract on the new bridge was awarded by VDOT to Orders Construction Company Inc. of Saint Albans, West Virginia. The project had a fixed completion date of June 1, 2018.  New bridge at Morgan’s Ford opens Monday, Jan. 22

As the county administrator noted during his report to the EDA, a pedestrian walkway and bike lanes had to be sacrificed due to width and right-of-way issues on at least one side of the bridge’s landfall.

The new bridge and Route 624 to the north have a restriction on trucks exceeding 30 feet in total length, other than emergency service vehicles. This restriction will remain in place even after the construction project is complete. Upon the opening, VDOT posted that “Truck drivers should continue to use alternate routes.”

Some delays may be encountered in coming weeks as final touches are put on the bridge. Additional information about the Route 624 bridge replacement project can be found at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/staunton/warren_county_8211_route_624.asp.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org.