Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
A bridge on Fort Lewis Church Road in the Glenvar area will close for about eight days later this month while crews replace the structure over Stypes Branch.
Weather permitting, the bridge on Route 777 (Fort Lewis Church Road) will close beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, March 21. The bridge, located about 0.28 mile south of Artrip Lane and 0.2 mile north of Tobey Road, is expected to remain closed through March 28.
During the closure, vehicles will not be able to cross the bridge.
Residents who live in the affected area will be able to park vehicles at Glenvar High School and use a shuttle service to access their homes. Shuttle buses will operate 24 hours a day while the bridge is closed.
A temporary pedestrian bridge will be installed across Stypes Branch to connect with Stypes Branch Road, which will remain open during construction. After crossing the pedestrian bridge, residents can board a shuttle bus that will transport them to their homes.
Residents may call 540-330-5472 to request pickup from the ADA-accessible shuttle buses operating on both sides of the closure.
Vehicles may begin parking at Glenvar High School starting at 4 p.m. Friday, March 20. A shuttle will run from 4 to 8 p.m. that evening to transport residents home. Residents should call the shuttle phone number after parking their vehicles to request pickup.
The project also will require closing Tobey Road at its intersection with Fort Lewis Church Road for temporary crane placement and materials storage. Officials recommend using West Main Street as an alternate route to reach Glenvar High School during the closure.
Electronic message boards will be placed in the area to notify motorists of the closure and schedule. The shuttle phone number also will provide updates on the bridge replacement and information about when the bridge is expected to reopen.
