The Gwynn’s Island bridge is slated to be closed to cars and trucks overnight from 10 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26 to 6 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 27, in order for crews to remove the center bearing of the swing span in preparation for replacing it.

The center bearing is a critical piece of equipment that operates the movable swing span, said a press release from the Virginia Department of Transportation, and weight must be minimized on the bridge while crews remove it.

VDOT is expected to install a new center bearing nine days later, requiring that the bridge be closed to vehicles once again, from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7 to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8.

As of Tuesday, VDOT had already placed message boards at the bridge and on Buckley Hall Road notifying drivers of the upcoming closures.

The bridge has been closed to marine traffic, other than vessels small enough to pass under it, since this past August.

What will happen during closings

During both closings, emergency per...