by Riley Fletcher
LANCASTER—A motion committing to a grander vision of infrastructure passed unanimously, 5-0, at the Lancaster board of supervisors meeting on Thursday, June 29.
The board will draft and send a letter to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), asking to collaborate on the design process for a new bridge over the Rappahannock River.
Jason Bellows of District 3 took charge on the issue, desiring that the county “think bigger and grander” than would be otherwise necessary. He asked VDOT maintenance superintendent Mike Bryant that the board work closely with them on new bridge construction plans. “Frankly, I think the stuff we’re building today is not going to last,” said Bellows.
This motion references work on the ongoing replacement of the Robert O. Norris Jr. Memorial Bridge at White Stone. The decades-long process has experienced setbacks, including the Senate rejecting Sen. Ryan McDougle’s $400 million budget amendment in March 2023.
Bryant acknowledged the board’s assistance……