The Cypress Creek Bridge will see another multi-day full closure starting May 1, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced on Monday.

Crews with project contractor Crofton Construction will close the remaining westbound lane on South Church Street at the bridge from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily with a signed detour in place. When the westbound lane reopens, eastbound traffic will continue to be diverted via Main and Grace streets to the Route 10 Bypass.

This will be the third multi-day closure the bridge has seen since work began in January 2024 on the two-lane, circa-1975 bridge that connects downtown Smithfield with the east end of town. VDOT said the closures will facilitate the removal of the final nine existing damaged concrete beams.

The first two closures, in April and August of last year, entailed removing old bridge beams and placing newly fabricated beams in their place. Both of the prior five-day closures ended three days ahead of schedule. When the bridge rehabilitation began in January 2024, VDOT said to expect four multi-day closures through this fall, when the bridge work is expected to be completed.

VDOT said the latest daily closures are expected to remain through May 2 with a backup date of May 5 or until all beams and cranes have been removed.

All pedestrian access to the bridge remains closed. VDOT stopped allowing pedestrians to use the bridge’s sidewalk in February when contractors switched westbound traffic from the eastbound lane to the westbound lane. Motorists will continue to use the westbound lane through the duration of the project.

VDOT said access to all businesses and private residences on either side of the bridge will remain accessible during the multi-day full closure.

VDOT awarded the $8.6 million contract in late 2023 to Portsmouth-based Crofton. The work includes underwater pile repairs, the demolition and replacement of 18 spans, the repainting of steel beams and replacing the bridge’s sidewalk and barriers. Much of the work to date has occurred beneath the bridge out of the view of motorists.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 10:55 p.m. on April 28 with additional details on which beams will be removed.