Paddlers Must Exit Rappahannock At I-95 Bridge In August: VDOT

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Paddlers on the Rappahannock River will have to exit the water before the Interstate 95 southbound bridge starting Monday, Aug. 10 due to the I-95 Southbound Rappahannock River Crossing project.

Paddlers and river users can use a set of stairs at the exit point and a path to navigate around the river closure to an area where they can reenter the river, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Warning signs and buoys are posted to alert Rappahannock River users of a portage ahead, and when and where to exit the river. A portage is required to allow crews to extend a temporary equipment bridge in the river toward the Stafford riverbank. A crane will use the temporary bridge to continue construction on the new I-95 southbound bridge.

Additional signs notifying users about the portage have been installed at major put-in locations upstream from the I-95 bridges, including Mott’s Landing, Hunting Run, Ely’s Ford and Kelly’s Ford.

A second I-95 southbound bridge is being built as part of the I-95 Southbound Rappahannock River Crossing project. The new bridge will carry three I-95 southbound lanes for through traffic over the river between Stafford County and the city of Fredericksburg.

Pedestrian trails near the river in Fredericksburg will remain open. River users can stay updated by checking the Rappahannock River access page.

Construction to build the $132 million I-95 Southbound Rappahannock River Crossing began in August 2018 and is scheduled for completion in May 2022. The project seeks to reduce I-95 congestion in the Fredericksburg area by providing local traffic with additional lanes to travel between the Route 17 and Route 3 interchanges without merging into the interstate’s general purpose lanes.