Crash damages Route 613 bridge

The Virginia Department of Transportation has closed the Route 613 bridge over the Rappahannock River at Waterloo after a vehicle apparently damaged it Wednesday night or early Thursday.

A statement from VDOT described the damage to the bridge’s superstructure as severe. It is unclear when the bridge, which allows vehicles to cross between Culpeper and Fauquier counties, will reopen. Engineers were inspecting the bridge Thursday morning, according to the statement.

“Safety of the traveling public is always VDOT’s first concern,” said David Cubbage, Warrenton Residency administrator. “We will not reopen the bridge unless and until it is determined that it is safe for motorists to use.”

While the bridge is closed, local traffic can use Route 688 and U.S. 211 as a detour. The bridge is a steel truss, timber deck structure that was originally commissioned in the 1870s and has spanned the river since that time. It was reconstructed in the 1970s and is currently posted for a 3-ton weight limit.