The Gwynn’s Island bridge has had its share of heat-related problems over the past two years, with repeated incidences of the bridge being stuck open because the metal had expanded and had to be cooled before closure was possible. But the bridge got stuck around 2:30 p.m. last Thursday for a different reason. According to VDOT spokesman Darragh Frye, when the swing span opened, it rotated beyond 90 degrees and couldn’t subsequently be closed by the normal method. “It was not due to high temperatures,” said Frye. Rather, she said, Fredericksburg District Structure and Bridge Engineer Annette Adams explained that the swing span “drifted due to wear of the mechanical components.” The problem was resolved in about an hour. Photo by Elsa Verbyla
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