CHESAPEAKE, Va. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, and the City of Chesapeake successfully implemented a new traffic pattern at the Deep Creek Bridge Replacement Project site this morning, marking the beginning of Phase 5 of construction.
At approximately 3 a.m. , crews completed the overnight traffic shift, moving U.S. Route 17’s eastbound traffic onto the new bridge span while westbound traffic continues to use the old bridge.
Chesapeake police officers supported traffic control operations throughout the transition as crews worked overnight to complete roadway striping and traffic control changes needed to safely guide motorists through the new configuration.
Motorists traveling through the area are encouraged to remain vigilant as they adjust to the new traffic pattern. Drivers should follow posted signage, pay close attention to updated lane markings and use patience as the community adapts to the new traffic configuration.
This traffic shift marks a significant milestone for the multi-phase infrastructure project, the first time vehicles have traveled across the new bridge span since construction began. The shift also allows construction activities to continue progressing toward the project’s final configuration.
The new traffic pattern is temporary and allows crews to construct the median safely while addressing the differing elevations between the old bridge and the new span.
While the new traffic pattern represents significant visible progress in the project, it is not the final traffic configuration.The completed bridge will ultimately provide five lanes of traffic, significantly improving flow and capacity through the corridor.
The next major phase of work will shift both eastbound and westbound traffic onto the new bridge span. Once traffic is fully transitioned, the old bridge will be demolished and construction of the new westbound span will begin.
Built in 1934, the existing two-lane drawbridge crosses the Dismal Swamp Canal where U.S. Route 17 passes through the Deep Creek area of Chesapeake. The bridge has become functionally obsolete because of its narrow roadway, poor alignment with connecting roads and increasing traffic volumes. It is also a significant bottleneck along regional hurricane evacuation routes.
The authorized project will replace the existing structure with a five-lane split-leaf bascule bridge designed to improve traffic flow, enhance safety and better accommodate future transportation needs.
The City of Chesapeake, the local sponsor for the project, contributed $20 million toward construction and will assume future ownership, operation and maintenance responsibilities once the bridge is complete.
The District expects to complete the project in 2028.
For more information about the Deep Creek Bridge Replacement Project, including an interactive map that provides visual and written descriptions of each construction phase, visit the project webpage: [https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/DeepCreekBridge/](https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/DeepCreekBridge/).