Structure 21891 · Chesapeake County, VA

Route 168 Bypass over Ches & Albemrl Canal @

Carries Route 168 Bypass over Ches & Albemrl Canal @, 0.64 To 165 /1.41 To 190.

Overall conditionFair

Set by its lowest-rated component: Deck and Superstructure and Substructure at 5 of 9.

How ratings work
Decksets the rating5/9 · Fair
Superstructuresets the rating5/9 · Fair
Substructuresets the rating5/9 · Fair
Channelnot part of overall6/9 · Satisfactory
0 failed4 poor6 fair9 excellent

Elevation

Side view, colored by inspection rating
SEMI-TRUCK · 72 FT3,025 FT OVERALL500 FT0ELEVATION · LENGTHS TO SCALE
Deck 5/9Superstructure 5/9Substructure 5/9

3,025 ft end to end, longest span 141 ft: about 8.4 football fields. Lengths and the semi-truck on the deck are drawn to the same scale. Each part is colored by its latest inspection rating. The inventory records lengths but not heights or the layout of the shorter spans, so those are drawn as typical for a multi-beam bridge.

Built198145 years old
Length3024.9 ft922 m
Daily traffic63,911counted 2022
Last inspectedDecember 2024every 24 months

Location

StateVirginia
CountyChesapeake
Location0.64 To 165 /1.41 To 190
CarriesRoute 168 Bypass
CrossesChes & Albemrl Canal @
Coordinates36.71682, -76.22535

Physical Characteristics

MaterialSteel Continuous
DesignStringer/Multi-beam
Total Length3024.9 ft (922 m)
Max Span141.1 ft (43 m)
Deck Width79.4 ft (24.2 m)
Deck Area22312.4 sq m
Main Spans3
Year Built1981

Traffic

Avg Daily Traffic63,911 (2022)
Lanes On Bridge4

Inspection & Ownership

Last InspectionDecember 2024
Inspection FrequencyEvery 24 months
OwnerCity/Municipal Highway Agency
Historical SignificanceBridge is not eligible for the National Register
Scour Critical8 — Stable, low risk
Structure Number000000000021891

How Bridge Ratings Work

Inspectors rate each major part of a bridge (the deck you drive on, the superstructure of beams that holds it up, and the substructure of piers and abutments beneath) on a 0–9 scale. A bridge's overall condition is its lowest of those ratings, so one deteriorated component makes the whole bridge "poor."

0Failed
1Imminent failure
2Critical
3Serious
4Poor
5Fair
6Satisfactory
7Good
8Very good
9Excellent
Good · lowest component 7–9
Fair · lowest component 5–6
Poor · lowest component 0–4

A poor rating is not a closure. It means the bridge is flagged for priority repair or replacement; bridges judged unsafe are closed or posted with weight limits. The waterway (channel) rating is reported, but it does not count toward the overall classification.

Nearby Bridges