Text from our Dec 2014 Member Newsletter:
PEC, Fauquier County, and Culpeper County commissioned a report that identified a more cost-effective option for the full rehabilitation of the historic Waterloo Bridge on Waterloo Road (Route 613). The bridge has a long history dating back to the late nineteenth century, but it was closed due to safety concerns last winter.
Initial VDOT estimates placed rehabilitating the bridge for continued vehicular use in the $5 million range. However, a detailed rehabilitation cost analysis by The Schiffer Group, Inc. (SGI), Workin’ Bridges and Bach Steel, reports the project could be accomplished for considerably less than initial estimates, stating that “it is our opinion that restoration/preservation of the bridge is a viable option.”
The report was issued on September 16, 2014, and it estimates the cost of the preliminary design to restore the Waterloo Bridge at approximately $1.8 million, including engineering and contingency funds.
The Piedmont Environmental Council is excited about working with VDOT and the counties to find a way to rehabilitate and reopen the Waterloo Bridge. The bridge is a valuable piece of our culture and history in Culpeper and Fauquier. It’s also significant statewide as the oldest metal truss bridge in Virginia, and we should make every effort to save this important resource. The report, along with a summary of its conclusions, can be found at pecva.org/waterloobridge