PETERSBURG, Va. — A significant infrastructure project will restrict traffic on West Bank Street in Petersburg as the city begins repairs to the flood-damaged Brickhouse Run Tunnel.
The eastbound lane in the 100 block of West Bank Street between Sycamore and Market Streets will close to traffic Saturday, September 6, at 8 a.m. as part of the bridge and tunnel repair project over Brickhouse Run Stream.
Cars will be limited to a single center lane during the construction period.
No truck traffic or parking will be allowed in the area.
A situation that concerns some Petersburg business owners.
"I need the trucks, I need UPS trucks to get down here and the mail trucks to get down here. That’s part of my business. I’m a mail order business," Ehrman Tapestry owner Angie Bechtold told CBS 6. "I think the one-way is a good idea because I think it’s too small for two-way traffic."
"I’m disappointed as far as the parking. As a business owner, we have always had problems with parking down here," Salon Blis owner Amy Crump added. "The one-way I’m not against, beaus definitely people are driving way too fast down this road."
Petersburg officials said road closure is necessary due to ongoing flooding that has caused significant damage to the Brickhouse Run Tunnel.
The city is working with engineers build a stronger tunnel and road.
"The thought is we will probably do a pre-cast culvert that goes in there, open the road up, place the culvert and then put it back," Petersburg City Manager March Altman said.
People who live on West Bank Street from the bridge area to Sycamore Street are asked to place their trash cans behind the Exchange Building during construction.
However, parking on city-owned property behind the Exchange Building will not be permitted.
Detour signs and new road lines will be installed to help guide traffic during the closure.
Funding for the project comes from the Department of Conservation and Recreation [DCR] and comes with a caveat.
"DCR has a requirement that we convert the property we purchased into green space, so there will be a little bit of a public park, small public pocket park in downtown," Altman said.
While the traffic barriers are scheduled to go up on Saturday morning, there is not yet an anticipated end date for the work.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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