CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – With Dairy Road Bridge replacement project expected to make a large impact on traffic during its construction, the City of Charlottesville has scheduled a public hearing on the project for Nov. 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Charlottesville Early Learning Center, the city announced Tuesday.

The city is looking to replace the bridge following an inspection by the Virginia Department of Transportation conducted on March 6, 2025. That inspection concluded the bridge was in “poor” condition with replacement necessary.

The replacement is being funded by VDOT’s State of Good Repair program. While the city won’t have to pay any money for the construction, residents and motorists are concerned about the approximately 12-months of estimated construction time, which will necessitate that drivers use the Hydraulic Rd. and Rugby Ave. interchanges as a substitute for crossing the bridge to each side of Dairy Rd.

Eastbound traffic will also be rerouted using Dairy Rd. off- and on-ramps during staging when that traffic won’t be able to pass under the construction. There will also be overnight construction which will shut down the bypass underneath the construction project in both directions, detouring traffic to Rugby Ave., Barracks Rd., and Emmet St.

“Project staff will discuss the anticipated construction schedule, bridge closure and detour plans, and answer questions from residents,” according to the meeting announcement. “Construction is tentatively expected to begin early January 2027.”

During a Nov. 2025 City Council meeting, city staff said they would monitor detour traffic for any needed detour adjustments. City Council approved the project that December but wanted the construction time to somehow be negotiated or incentivized down.

“I want that effort to be undertaken, and that there is still time to undertake that effort, then I want it undertaken because I don’t want to just say we’re willing to live with 14 months,” Councilor Lloyd Snook said at the meeting. Tuesday’s release said 12 months,

“We would fully expect that we would incentivize the contractor to say if you finish this in, the bridge is closed and opened in 9 months or 10 months, we’ll pick the right number, if you hit that date, you are eligible for financial incentives,” John Oliver, the consultant the city hired to work with VDOT, said to Snook in response.