Have you ever loved a bridge so much you want to see it win an award?
The Chatham Bridge linking Fredericksburg and Stafford County is up for an American Transportation Award, and the deadline to vote is tomorrow, Friday, October 21.
Last year, the Virginia Department wrapped up a $23 million improvement project on the bridge over the Rappahannock River to replace the bridge deck and pavement and repair the bridge approaches and substructure. Once complete, the bridge could carry vehicles larger than 15 tons.
Construction crews closed the bridge for 16 months to improve the 81-year-old structure, which carries about 16,000 cars per day. VDOT kept the bridge closed for one more day, re-opening to allow area residents to walk on and explore the refurbished bridge.
A U.S. flag hung from two fire trucks, one from Fredericksburg and the other from Stafford County, for a ceremonial grand opening celebration.
“Since opening in October 2021, it has served as a community gathering place, a tourist destination, as well as a safe crossing for vehicles of all weights that make it convenient for residents and business travelers to travel within the region without adding to congestion on the adjacent alternate routes of Route 1 or Interstate 95,” the nomination page states.
You can vote for the bridge project on the awards website. Twelve projects in locations across the U.S. are nominated for the Grand Prize of being named the best and a $10,000 check to give to the charity or scholarship of their choice.
The winners are selected by an independent panel of transportation industry judges.
