Commuters, listen up. The City of Richmond will begin resurfacing the Mayo Bridge on Tuesday, Oct. 13, with work expected to last through Friday, Oct. 23, but new pavement isn't the only significant change in store.

After resurfacing is complete, the bridge will fully transition from four lanes to two as part of a pilot "road diet."

Construction + road diet

Here's what you can expect throughout ~10 days of construction:

Lane closures will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
One lane heading in each direction will remain open while the other two are under construction.
Detour routes will be posted to help navigate the area.

Rather than shifting back to business as usual, the City of Richmond will transition the four-lane bridge into a "two-lane pilot road diet" with wider shoulders for pedestrians.

The lane reductions aim to improve traffic operations around upcoming capital projects and to evaluate safety benefits, such as overall speed reductions or improved pedestrian accessibility.

A previous study of existing bridge concerns shows cyclist and pedestrian safety at 34% and 33%, respectively. | Chart via VDOT documents

I thought the city was replacing Mayo Bridge...

That's right. The City of Richmond is working with VDOT to replace the Mayo Bridge with an entirely new structure in the coming years.

In the meantime, the repaving process aims to extend the life of a failing part of the existing structure, while the road diet begins to test road configurations that more closely align with the new design proposals. Current concepts stick with a two-lane plan + add pedestrian walkways and dedicated lanes for cyclists.

Community engagement

Richmonders can join an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to learn more about the developing replacement project.