Access will be restricted on the Robert E. Lee Bridge in the name of safety.
After an 18-year old resident of Henrico County fell to his death last year, the Public Works Department proposed a plan to restrict access to the media gap in the bridge where the fall occurred. Today, the Richmond Urban Design Committee unanimously voted in favor of the plan.
The gap in question is 10 feet wide and tapers away towards the middle of the bridge, where the two sides join.
The plan is to top the walls along the gap with pieces of angled iron with steel cable running through it.
After this, the proposed plan is sent to Planning Commission. Once the design and procurement process is over, the custom railing system should be placed in about two months. The estimated cost is about $200,000.
Despite not being aesthetically pleasing, it was determined that the safety of people using the bridge is a priority.
