Transportation Harry Nice Bridge

This project replaces the two-lane Harry Nice Bridge, originally built in 1940 and connects Newbury, MD and Dahlgren, VA, with a new 1.9 mile by 61-ft. wide structure over the Potomac River, including construction of approaches on each side of the bridge which extend half a mile on each side to realign traffic back onto existing US 301 and realignment of a secondary road. The improved span will have four 12-ft. wide driving lanes with 2-ft. shoulders (two lanes in each direction separated by a concrete median barrier wall), and the new height accommodates tall vessels coming through. The superstructure is comprised of a cast-in-place composite concrete deck supported by 79-in. and 95-in. concrete precast girders ranging 125-ft. to 150-ft. long.  The main channel and flanking spans, which will be steel plate girders, are 238-ft. for a single section and will be spliced together in the main for a span length of 350-ft.  The bridge has been divided into four sections:  high-level east (closest to Maryland), main span, high level span, and low level (closest to Virginia).

The new bridge will have a 100-year service life span, follow the same profile and is being constructed 100-ft. to the northwest of the original bridge. Once new bridge and roadway construction is complete, the original bridge will be demolished with some of it being used to create artificial reefs in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.