Lesner Bridge Wins Concrete Bridge of Excellence Award

The Lesner Bridge Replacement was one of six winners of the Portland Cement Association (PCA) 2020 Concrete Bridge Awards. The award was given to the City of Virginia Beach and the project team of Clark Nexsen, FIGG Bridge Group, Mclean Contracting Company, Titan America, and Atlantic Metrocast, Inc.

The $84 million bridge is a multimodal connector that is safe but also an attractive space for bicycles and pedestrians as well as vehicles.

Each bridge has two 12-ft travel lanes, 10-ft and 6-ft shoulders, and a 10-ft multiuse pathway separated from the vehicular lanes by a blue-colored railing to fit the aesthetic theme as well as to provide pedestrian and cyclist protection. The four-lane divided roadway was designed to accommodate an additional lane in each direction if required in the future.

The aesthetic features and lighting designs along the bridge attract the attention of residents and tourists in the area. “People really love coming to the bridge—more than just crossing over the top, it becomes an experience sitting underneath the bridge and seeing the lights from the beach,” Christopher Wojtowicz, construction bureau manager with the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works commented to Roads and Bridges magazine. “It’s very majestic looking from the beach, seeing these aesthetic lights. It makes an impression on folks that see it.”

The project included significant public involvement to ensure the surrounding community felt a strong sense of ownership and pride in the new bridge. The aesthetic lighting designed by Randy Burkett features served as the finishing touch for the completion of the 1,575-ft dual-span structure.

The Awards of Excellence from the 17th Biennial Concrete Bridge Awards Competition is co-sponsored by PCA and Roads & Bridges Media. The competition, recognizes excellence in design and construction of concrete bridges.

The winning bridges were judged for creativity and skillfulness in the structural, functional, aesthetic, sustainable, and economic design of concrete bridges.

See the full awards press release.