Beginning Monday, the Virginia Department of Transportation will post a new weight restriction for heavier trucks and vehicles on the Route 602 (Burke’s Pond Road) bridge over Burke’s Pond in Gloucester.

The new weight restriction will be seven tons for all vehicles.

Vehicles weighing more than seven tons will be required to detour around the Route 602 bridge. Potential detour routes include Route 3, Route 14 and Route 198.

A scheduled annual inspection of the bridge found deterioration of steel beams, requiring a new posted limit, a release stated. The previous weight restriction on the bridge was 18 tons for single-unit trucks, and 27 tons for tractor-trailers.

Signs have been ordered that will communicate the weight restriction on the bridge to motorists.

The bridge is scheduled to be replaced and is included in the Six-Year Improvement Program. The replacement is currently under design.

The Route 602 bridge was built in 1940. It is inspected annually by V...