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Gwynn’s Island bridge closed to marine traffic

The bridge over Milford Haven connecting Gwynn’s Island and mainland Mathews County is closed for marine openings until further notice, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced Sunday.

The closure is due to an emergency mechanical repair required to operate the bridge’s moveable swing span. The bridge remains open to vehicular traffic.

Reopening the bridge to marine traffic will require fabrication of a new part. An anticipated schedule for reopening is under development.

Built in 1938, the bridge over Milford Haven opens approximately 3,000 times a year, which is more than any other state-maintained movable bridge in Virginia.

The bridge’s navigational clearance is 11 feet vertically and 80 feet horizontally when closed. Watercraft that cannot navigate underneath the bridge within this clearance requires an opening.

A previously scheduled bridge maintenance project is starting soon that will improve the condition of the bridge’s mechanical elements connected...

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