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Urbanna council keeps marina bridge closed, hires engineers to scope interim fixes and seek funding
Summary
The council heard an engineering assessment that led to a continued closure of the marina bridge and authorized staff to pursue an engineering contract and state funding options; preliminary estimates for full replacement were discussed as high as several million dollars.
Urbanna — The town council on Monday heard new engineering assessments after officials closed the marina bridge last month and voted to pursue engineering and funding options rather than reopen the structure to vehicular traffic.
Staff presented photos and an inspection summary describing displaced sidewalls, exposed steel supports and rebar, and advised maintaining the closure to reduce public-safety liability. The town reported it has engaged Whitman Record (also referenced with variant spellings in the record) as the engineering firm recommended by VDOT and said the firm had already visited the bridge and advised partial closure in mid-December.
Why it matters: The bridge provides the only vehicle access to several marina facilities. Staff and the attorney warned that until a firm scope and permit work are completed the town cannot guarantee safe vehicular access; that limits marina operations and could delay planned public events that rely on marina access.
Staff member (speaker 3) told the council the town has been pursuing grants and has been in touch with federal and state agencies, but some federal programs were not available. “Folks, we’re talking up to $5,000,000,” the staff member said when asked about a replacement estimate, describing that figure as a preliminary, verbal range from engineers. The town attorney (Town attorney, speaker 9) said she has begun drafting a budget amendment to submit to Delegate Keith Hodges to request a special appropriation from the General Assembly.
Council members asked about interim solutions. Staff recommended the engineering firm propose both a short-term ‘bridge-over-bridge’ workaround to reopen vehicle access and a longer-term repair or replacement plan, including geotechnical work and coordination with multiple permitting agencies. The attorney and staff stressed that the engineering firm would coordinate with permitting bodies — the Army Corps, the U.S. Coast Guard, VDOT and others — and would include those costs and timelines in a scope of services.
Several residents urged practical, lower-cost ideas during the public-comment period. Dan Snead, who works at the marina, recommended hiring a project manager to navigate permitting and to explore less expensive structural alternatives such as large culverts or an overlay approach. Bruce Murray, a longtime resident, suggested an overlay or modular solution and warned the town may be unable to pay for a full replacement without near-total grant funding.
What the council decided: Council members did not take immediate construction action. Instead, they supported moving forward with an engineering contract to produce a detailed scope, interim-solution options and a preliminary cost estimate the town can use in a budget amendment. Staff said the engineering partner would provide a number the town could include in a request to Delegate Hodges within the next days, and that a formal contract and proposal will likely come back for council consideration at a future meeting.
Next steps: Staff will finalize the engineering firm’s proposal and scope of services, submit an estimate for a legislative budget amendment, and return to council with contract documents and interim-solution options.
