George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge

The George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge (known locally as simply the Coleman Bridge) is a double swing bridge that spans the York River between Yorktown and Gloucester Point, in the United States state of Virginia. It connects the Peninsula and Middle Peninsula regions of Tidewater, Virginia. The bridge is the only public crossing of the York River, though State Route 33 crosses both of its tributaries (the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers) at just above its source at West Point.

For other uses, see Coleman Bridge (disambiguation).
Coleman Bridge
The Coleman Bridge as seen from Yorktown as it connects with Gloucester Point.
Coordinates37.2426°N 76.5070°W / 37.2426; -76.5070
Carries4 lanes of US 17
CrossesYork River
LocaleGloucester Point and Yorktown, Virginia
Official nameGeorge P. Coleman Memorial Bridge
Maintained byVirginia Department of Transportation
ID number000000000019824
Characteristics
DesignSwing bridge, with two swinging spans
MaterialHigh-strength steel
Total length3,750 feet (1,140 m)
Longest span450 feet (140 m)
Clearance below60 feet (18 m)
History
DesignerParsons Brinckerhoff
OpenedMay 7, 1952; rebuilt in spring 1995
Statistics
Daily traffic33,595 (2005)
Toll$2.00 (northbound only) Smart Tag/E-ZPass
Location

History

Originally built in 1952, it was reconstructed and widened in 1995 through an unusual process which greatly reduced the time the important commuter artery was out-of-service from conventional methods. The current 3,750-foot (1,140 m)-long double-swing-span bridge carries United States Route 17, a four-lane arterial highway. The movable span is needed to allow ship access to several military installations that are upstream of the bridge, most notably, the United States Navy's Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. The roadways are almost 90 feet (27 m) above the river at the highest point of the bridge. The bridge is the largest double-swing-span bridge in the United States, and second largest in the world.[1][2]

The toll bridge was named for George P. Coleman, who from 1913 to 1922 was the head of the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation, predecessor to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The bridge has been one of the sites of a special program to establish and encourage nesting locations for the peregrine falcon population of Virginia.

Toll rates

The George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge is a toll facility. Tolls are only collected northbound, and are used to pay for the expansion of the bridge to four lanes. Toll Collection Rates are as follows:[3]

  • Bicycles 0¢
  • EZ-Pass (transponder required) 85¢
  • Motorcycles 85¢
  • Two-axle vehicles $2
  • Three-axle vehicles $3
  • Four- or more-axle vehicles $4

Bicycles taking advantage of the free crossing must use the established bicycle lane located to the right of the far right travel lane.[4]

Photos
  • Bridge swung open as seen from Yorktown side, Summer 2011
  • One of the two swing spans while fully turned (open for river traffic)
  • Opened bridge as seen from aboard a Navy ship
  • Bridge swinging closed as seen from down York River
  • Entering Bridge from Yorktown side
  • USS Elrod (FFG-55) about to pass through the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge on the York River, Summer 2011

See also

References
  1. "BUILDING BIG: Databank: George P. Coleman Bridge". pbs.org.
  2. "George P. Coleman Bridge". roadstothefuture.com.
  3. "Hampton Roads Tunnels and Bridges". Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  4. "VDOT :: Coleman Bridge". ezpassva.com.
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