U.S. 1 bridge over flood-prone creek open one way

A year ago Neabsco Creek in Woodbridge spilled over its banks as Tropical Storm Hannah’s rain and wind battered he region. Flood waters closed U.S. 1 in both directions, forcing police to direct cars elsewhere.

Fast forward to today and traffic is moving smoothly across a newly constructed bridge raised 15 feet over the creek, four feet higher than its four lane predecessor.

The southbound side of the new bridge opened to traffic on Thursday and the northbound side will have cars driving across it before month’s end.

The $10 million bridge, which will be wide enough to accommodate six lanes of traffic but will open with just four, may make drivers forget there were ever flooding problems.

“When the creek flooded, we couldn’t do that much to prevent it. We had to work with mother nature on that one,” said Virginia Department of Transportation project manager Chan. B. Basnayake.

He said the flood caused by Hannah was one of two serious ones during construction. The only upside about them was that the water subsided quickly after the rains stopped.

Transportation officials saw the need for a new bridge over the flood-prone creek and began work on the project in 2007.

The new bridge is not only wider, but includes a 10-foot wide trail on the southbound side and a 6 ½-foot wide sidewalk on the other. It is also expected to be completed 3½ months ahead of schedule, in May 2010, said Basnayake.

Construction crews also had to move the path of the creek to build the bridge. They used a series of concrete “Jersey” barriers to redirect the flow of the water into a straight line — a change from the creek’s old snake-like path.

They also used a method called “mircotunneling” to lay utility, sewer and water lines under the creek bed.

A more common method known as cut and cover — where crews dig a trench and bury the lines, then cover them with dirt — wouldn’t’ work. The holes would have filled with water and the dirt walls would have collapsed, said Basnayake.

While the area is known for its heavy traffic, a detour was set up on U.S. 1 next to the new bridge so drivers could get around the construction area. But the new bridge isn’t expected to make travelling on the road any easier just yet.

Plans to widen U.S. 1 to six lanes from Stafford to Fairfax County have been approved. The widening near the bridge between Brady’s Hill and Joplin roads in Triangle has been postponed for now.

Like on so many other stalled transportation projects in the region, Basnayake said, lack of money is to blame.

“Once they widen the road around and north of the bridge, the traffic will get better here,” he added.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.