Mount Herman Road Bridge in Hanover still closed 5 months after shutdown, residents frustrated

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — Five months after the Mount Herman Road Bridge in Hanover County closed for a full replacement, it remains shut down.

Some neighbors reached out to CBS 6 saying they are frustrated by the lack of visible progress.

The bridge closed in April.

A VDOT spokesperson says the project is taking longer than expected, citing limited access to the specialized equipment needed to build the bridge foundation and trouble obtaining concrete as the two major hurdles.

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In a statement, VDOT said a full replacement was deemed necessary based on the deterioration of the original bridge, and that a new bridge will cut down on long-term maintenance issues and limit future impacts to travel. VDOT says crews are continuing to make progress and expects the project to be complete by fall 2026.

For Julie Traylor, who has lived in her Hanover home for over 40 years, the bridge is part of her daily routine.

She says she has noticed little activity at the construction site.

"We don't hear any work going on down there. We don't see trucks bringing gravel, or so it's very quiet down there," Traylor said.

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The detour is also hitting her wallet.

"It may take an extra 20 minutes or more, and you know, with the gas prices, that puts a hurting on all of us," Traylor said.

Fellow longtime Hanover resident Harold Manaham said his concerns center on safety.

"I do know that if you were to take an ambulance ride to one of the hospitals, it's an extra 10 or 15 minutes for that ambulance ride just to leave," Manaham said.

Both residents have a message for VDOT.

"I wish they would get it done sooner than more than later," Manaham said.

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"I think maybe management could push a little harder to get the cement that's needed because you're holding up a whole lot of folks. So I would just ask maybe try a little harder to see if you can't get this bridge completed," Traylor said.

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