Lombardy Street bridge near VUU could be closed for two-year replacement in 2027

The Lombardy Street bridge that crosses a busy stretch of CSX track and serves as a key connector between Richmond’s Northside and the Broad Street corridor could be closed for two years starting in 2027 as the city replaces it. 

The 122-year-old bridge that sits between Virginia Union University’s campus and that of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School is the oldest active bridge in Richmond and has had no major repairs since the early 1930s, when it was widened and the superstructure was replaced.

Today it is classified as “structurally deficient,” with holes in its concrete deck and deterioration throughout the steel. In 2018, a car crossing the bridge hit a patch of ice, plowed through a railing and plunged to the tracks below. 

Currently the bridge is owned by CSX, which plans to transfer ownership to the city once the replacement is complete. Richmond has a right of way across the structure that allows it to be used as a road, a situation that is “very, very unusual,” according to Jeremy Schlussel, an engineer from WRA who works with the city on bridge projects. 

Because of the condition of the bridge, planners are calling for a total replacement at an estimated cost of $21.7 million. Those costs would be divided between federal, state and local funds, with CSX contributing about $2.5 million and Richmond roughly $8.5 million.

The current schedule calls for construction to start in spring of 2027 and wrap up in fall or winter of 2029. During that time, the bridge would be closed completely, with northbound travelers rerouted along Admiral Street to Belvidere and southbound travelers along Broad Street to Belvidere. 

GRTC bus route 14, the Hermitage/East Main line, would also have to be detoured. 

“It’s going to really screw up traffic on Belvidere Street,” said Timothy Hamnett, a member of Richmond’s Urban Design Committee, which reviewed the proposal’s design and appearance Thursday morning. 

About 6,300 drivers pass along Lombardy on an average day, although stretches near VUU are seeing increasing development that could increase that load.  

Traffic pressure could be particularly high in late 2027 and 2028, when another major connector for the Northside, Arthur Ashe Boulevard, will have lanes shut for a different bridge replacement project. Additionally, one northbound lane and the sidewalk of Belvidere between West Broad and West Grace are expected to remain closed through late 2027 for the construction of the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation at VCU. 

John Kim, another engineer with WPA who works on city bridge projects, said a partial closure of the Lombardy bridge was possible during its replacement, but that approach would take roughly $3 million more and eight to 12 months longer. 

The full closure would have a particular impact on VUU students and residents around the campus without cars, who will no longer be able to walk to the Lombardy Kroger or other Broad Street amenities without a more than mile-long walk. 

“We did meet with Maggie Walker and VUU, and they did make some requests to keep pedestrian access across the railroad during construction,” said Tom Westbrook, the project manager for the replacement with the Department of Public Works. But because of the time and money that would require, he continued, “we cannot accommodate their request at this time.” 

Planners said the expected length and expense of the replacement are due to several factors. Not only does the bridge run over active railroad track, requiring extensive coordination with CSX, but its southern end goes beneath the Interstate 95 railroad pass, and one of its abutments is “integrated” with a combined sewer outfall that workers will have to take care to not damage. 

In the meantime, the condition of the bridge could pose public safety concerns even before the closure, warned Schlussel. 

“We may have to close the bridge prior to actual construction,” he told the committee. 

Bike and pedestrian path  

Plans for the new bridge call for one lane of traffic in each direction, flanked by elevated shared use paths for pedestrians and bikes. 

While the current bridge has designated bike lanes in each direction and a sidewalk along the southbound lane, the new design would offer “significant” safety improvements, city planner Ray Roakes told the Urban Design Committee Thursday. 

The elevated nature of the shared use path caused some discussion among the committee, which recommended that planners consider how the transition from flat roadway could be less jarring for cyclists and better protect pedestrians. 

Overall, the design of the new bridge will mimic several of the features found on VUU’s campus, including white split-face rock similar to the university’s masonry and darker light poles and railings. 

“We took inspiration from the area in regards to the architectural elements that are out there,” said Schlussel. 

Contact Reporter Sarah Vogelsong at svogelsong@richmonder.org