Great Bridge Bridge

The Great Bridge Bridge is a double-leaf rolling bascule drawbridge that carries Battlefield Blvd (State Route 168 Business) across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Chesapeake, Virginia.[1][2] It was constructed in 2004 by the Army Corps of Engineers and operated by the City of Chesapeake. It has a mean daily traffic of 35,000 vehicles. The current bridge cost $46 million.

The Battle of Great Bridge was fought at this crossing on December 9, 1775.
The current Great Bridge Bridge was completed in 2004.
A bridge over the Elizabeth River estuary in the 18th Century

In September 2018 a lightning strike disable the bridge's electronics, requiring manual operation.[3] Normally the bridge opens automatically, on the hour, from 6am to 7pm.[4] Vessels can request an opening from 7pm to 6am.

Earlier bridges

On December 9, 1775, when the Battle of Great Bridge was fought, a bridge spanned the main channel of the Elizabeth River, in the middle of a broad marshy estuary.[2] A raised causeway spanned the rest of the estuary.[5]

A new bridge was built at Great Bridge, Virginia, in 1859, after the construction of Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal (which is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway).[6]

During the American Civil War a bridge crossing at Great Bridge was destroyed.[2]

A new two-lane swing bridge replaced the late 19th century bridge in 1943.[2]

References
  1. "Great Bridge Bridge (Battlefield Blvd)". City of Chesapeake, Virginia. Retrieved 2012-06-15.
  2. Raymond Harper (March 11, 2018). "The history of the Great Bridge Bridge dates to at least 1770". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  3. "Great Bridge bridge expects extended closures after lightning strike causes electrical issues". WTKR. Chesapeake, Virginia. September 9, 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-27. After being struck by lightning Saturday evening, electrical issues with the Great Bridge bridge will require the bridge to be opened manually.
  4. "Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway". US Army Corps of Engineers. March 6, 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  5. Benson John Lossing (1850). "The Pictorial Field-book of the Revolution: Or, Illustrations, by Pen and Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence, Volume 1". Harper & Brothers. p. 327. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  6. Geoffrey Henry (July 2003). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-10. Retrieved 2019-05-11.

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