The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a design public hearing on December 10 to present plans and gather public feedback regarding the proposed replacement of the Route 824 bridge in Albemarle County. The meeting is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at Brownsville Elementary School in Crozet.
VDOT’s plan involves replacing the existing single-lane Route 824 bridge over Stockton Creek, which is about 0.8 mile east of U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike). The current structure was built in 1932 and currently serves around 161 vehicles each day.
The proposed new bridge will have two travel lanes and shoulders that comply with current road design standards, as well as a three-beam guardrail along its sides. Construction will occur on the existing alignment, requiring a temporary road closure and detour. VDOT states that “the primary reason for the bridge replacement is due to the compromised substructure.”
More details about the project are available on VDOT’s website at vdot.virginia.gov/projects/culpeper-district/route-824-bridge-albemarle-county.
The public hearing will be conducted in an open-house format, allowing attendees to review project exhibits, speak with VDOT representatives, and provide input. According to VDOT, “the purpose of this public hearing is to give the public an opportunity to review the project’s exhibits on display, meet with VDOT representatives, and provide input.” Oral comments can be made during the meeting or submitted by mail or email by December 22 for inclusion in the official report.
Comments should be sent to Kevin Barnholt, project manager at Virginia Department of Transportation, 1601 Orange Road, Culpeper, VA 22701 or emailed to kevin.barnholt@vdot.virginia.gov with “Route 824 bridge over Stockton Creek project” in the subject line.
Local updates from VDOT’s Culpeper District are posted online through their X account and Facebook group page. Real-time traffic information can be accessed via Virginia’s statewide network of traffic cameras at 511 Virginia, through the free mobile app or by calling 511 within Virginia.
