The South Norfolk Jordan Bridge is a box girder bridge that spans the South Branch of the Elizabeth River on VA Route 337, connecting Chesapeake and Portsmouth, Virginia.
The South Norfolk Jordan Bridge is a segmental box girder bridge that spans the South Branch of the Elizabeth River on Virginia Route 337, connecting Chesapeake and Portsmouth, Virginia.
Initially called the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bridge, it was envisioned and funded by South Norfolk businessman Carl M. Jordan. 7 He, along with his brother Wallace, operated Jordan Brothers Lumber Company, which sourced timber from the Great Dismal Swamp for their mill. Dissatisfied with the reliability of the Norfolk County Ferry Service, the Jordan brothers sought to build a fixed crossing to serve their business and community better.
The bridge, a Waddell & Harrington-type vertical lift drawbridge, was designed by the firm Harrington, Howard, & Ash of Kansas City, Missouri. 7 Completed at a cost of $1.25 million, it opened as a toll bridge on August 24, 1928, with Governor Harry F. Byrd attending the dedication.
Later, the bridge was renamed the Jordan Bridge in honor of Carl Jordan, who served as general manager and executive vice president of the South Norfolk Bridge Commission, a non-profit organization formed in 1944 to oversee the bridge’s operations. 7 Ownership was transferred to the city of Chesapeake in 1977 after the bridge’s debt was paid off.
The Jordan Bridge was temporarily closed for repairs in 1994 and 1995 and reopened to traffic that December. 7 However, by the early 21st century, the bridge showed signs of deterioration. Its narrow approaches, with just one lane in each direction, led to traffic congestion, and a three-ton weight limit restricted commercial vehicles. It had also become the oldest drawbridge in Virginia.
Faced with prohibitively expensive repairs that would not significantly extend the bridge’s lifespan, 1 the Chesapeake City Council voted to close the bridge in October 2008. 2 It was closed to vehicle traffic on November 8 of that year. 7
A replacement bridge, funded entirely by Figg Bridge Developers and paid for by tolls, was approved by the city council on January 27, 2009. 7 Though initially scheduled for completion by July 2010, 6 the new South Norfolk Jordan Bridge opened to traffic on October 27, 2012. 3 The $142 million project 4 was owned and operated by United Bridge Partners, a consortium consisting of Figg Bridge Builders and a private infrastructure investment firm. 5
The South Norfolk Jordan Bridge is supported by an open-road, all-electronic tolling system integrated with E-ZPass.
Information
- State: Virginia
- Route: VA Route 337
- Type: Box Girder
- Status: Active - Automobile
- Total Length: 2,050' (1928); 5,375' (2012)
- Main Span Length: 284' (1928)
- Total Height: 145' (2012)
Sources
- Saewitz, Mike. “Close the Jordan Bridge, says Chesapeake city manager.” Virginian-Pilot, 20 Aug. 2008.
- Saewitz, Mike. “Report: Jordan Bridge should be closed if not repaired soon.” Virginian-Pilot, 19 Aug. 2008.
- “South Norfolk Jordan Bridge officially under construction.” South Norfolk Jordan Bridge, 16 Dec. 2010.
- Kimberlin, Joanne. “THE JORDAN New span BRIDGE delivers on a tall order.” Virginian-Pilot, 21 Oct. 2012.
- “United Bridge Partners.” United Bridge Partners.
- “Chesapeake approves plan to replace Jordan Bridge.” Virginian-Pilot, 28 Jan. 2009.
- “Jordan Bridge History.” South Norfolk Jordan Bridge.