ROANOKE, Va. – At 85 years old, the Wasena Bridge in Roanoke is past its prime.
Project Manager and Civil Engineer Josephus Johnson-Koroma said replacing the bridge is long overdue.
“Not that the bridge is going to fall down now, but it’s due time for us to replace the bridge,” said Johnson-Koroma.
Construction was supposed to start in the spring of 2022. Then in the fall of that year. Then again in the spring of 2023.
Johnson-Koroma says one setback was the COVID-19 pandemic, but the biggest was reaching an agreement with Norfolk Southern.
“It’s been frustrating,” said Johnson-Koroma.
The bridge spans over five train tracks. In order to rebuild, the city needs access.
“That’s when, you know, it actually slowed down for a while because it actually delayed the project,” said Johnson-Koroma. “Every time you reach out to them, it’s like the draft agreement is still under review by the Norfolk Southern legal team. So that’s the message I’ve been getting every time, every time, every time.”
In a statement to 10 News, Norfolk Southern said:
The two finally reached an agreement in July.
With the project back on track, safety is top of mind for Roanoke native and Greenway user John Williams.
“You’ve got the problem with concrete falling off,” said Williams.
Traffic flow is a concern for Nathaniel Sloan, the founder of Bloom restaurant in the heart of Wasena.
About 10,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day. During construction, vehicle and Greenway traffic will be re-routed.
“We do have concerns as a community on how and where that traffic is going to go,” said Sloan. “Ideally, we can create a more beautiful and safer neighborhood for us all to travel through.”