Commission approves final design review for Lombardi Street bridge replacement; project will shorten span and add shared-use paths

The commission approved final location, character and extent review for the replacement of the Lombardi Street bridge over CSX tracks and Bacon Quarter Branch, a structure staff described as the city’s oldest active bridge and structurally deficient.

Department of Public Works and engineering consultant Whitman, Requardt & Associates (WRA) presented the project: the existing 153-foot span would be replaced with a shorter 104-foot structure, the travelway would be narrowed to a 24-foot roadway with shared-use paths on both sides (each approximately 13.5 feet), and architectural elements and lighting were proposed to fit the Burlington/Virginia Union context. City staff said the bridge is posted at 15 tons and inspected every six months; replacement is necessary for safety.

City bridge engineer Dr. John Kim described the bridge’s condition and necessity for replacement. "This bridge is the oldest bridge in the whole city, 122 years," he said, explaining the structure has passed typical service life and exhibits significant deterioration. WRA project manager Jeremy Schlussel reviewed typical sections and noted the design must meet state and federal clearances and accommodate future rail track reconfiguration adjacent to the site.

The project budget presented in the hearing totals approximately $21.68 million, including federal, state and city components; the team cited a $3.1 million SmartScale grant as one element of funding. Schedule targets included construction starting winter 2026–27 with an expected completion in 2029, with a roadway closure and detour planned; the project team emphasized potential schedule risk due to CSX coordination and flagger availability.

Commissioners and staff discussed the transition between the street-level bike lanes and the elevated shared-use path across the bridge. The Urban Design Committee had recommended exploring separate bike lanes rather than a shared path; the project team said to meet funding and design constraints they will elevate the shared-use path to sidewalk level at the approaches and add marked bike chevrons, green paint, flexible delineators and signage to improve safety.

The commission voted to approve the final LCE review; the project will proceed with permitting and final engineering and return for construction-phase coordination. Staff and the consultant emphasized the need for continued coordination with CSX, the rail owner, and for pursuing DBE/MBE participation during procurement for the large construction contract.

Speakers quoted in this article are recorded in the commission transcript and are listed in the article’s speaker section.