A Friday snowstorm and very cold temperatures did not halt planned repairs to the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge Sunday.

Work on the apparatus that opens and closes the span was carried out, Virginia Department of Transportation spokesman Jennifer Gwaltney said, and two closures of both southbound lanes each expected to take 45 minutes to reposition equipment required only 15 minutes each time.

There was no need for traffic to detour through West Point because the shutdowns were so short, Gwaltney said.

The single-lane closures, with periodic longer two-lane closures, will also be held on three other Sundays: March 17, May 5 and June 16. Gwaltney said the four work zones are necessary in order to remove, overhaul and replace four motor span drive units and three wedge drive gear reducers—all equipment located under the surface of the bridge that helps open and close the span to let large ships pass.

Sunday’s closures did not affect northbound traffic, nor were ...