A Bass Road bridge over the railroad will close at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 10 so crews can begin making repairs to the guardrail that was damaged in an automobile accident. The repairs are estimated to take about six to seven days.

The bridge itself will be completely closed to all traffic, and local traffic only will be allowed on Bass Road between Forsyth Road and the bridge and between Rivoli Drive and the bridge. Signs will be placed on the road indicating the closures, and detour signs will show drivers the best way around. That detour will direct people to use Old Forsyth Road to get between Rivoli Drive and Forsyth Road. A map of the detour is below.

“We have tried since the accident to call as much attention to this issue while we worked with the Department of Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and our departments to develop a plan to safely make the repairs,” says County Engineer Charles Brooks. “This was something that needed to be addressed as quickly as was safely possible, and I applaud everyone involved for making this a priority.”

The repairs were deemed an emergency by the County Manager due to the safety issues presented by the missing guardrail and will cost approximately $100,000. Since the automobile accident, the Public Works Department used concrete barriers to cover the area missing the section of guardrail, and the Facilities Management Department installed a variety of lights, signs, and cones to draw attention to the damage and safety measures. The Sheriff’s Office has also increased its presence in the area to help with speed control.