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Edward E. Willey Bridge

Bridges in Richmond, VirginiaBridges over the James River (Virginia)Buildings and structures in Henrico County, VirginiaRoad bridges in VirginiaSouthern United States bridge (structure) stubs
Transportation in Henrico County, VirginiaVirginia building and structure stubsVirginia transportation stubs

Edward E. Willey Bridge is a highway bridge which crosses the upper James River (above the fall line at Richmond) in the western portion of Henrico County, Virginia. It carries Chippenham Parkway (State Route 150) between Parham Road in Henrico and the southwestern portion of the independent city of Richmond. It was named in honor of Edward E. Willey who was a Pharmacist and State Senator in the Virginia General Assembly from 1952 to 1983. He died in 1986. Since the 18th century, bridges (and earlier ferry service) across the James River have been a major issue for residents of the City of Richmond, the former City of Manchester (merged into Richmond in 1910), and the counties of Henrico and Chesterfield on the north and south sides respectively. The Willey Bridge and an adjacent portion of Chippenham Parkway were constructed with funds generated by a special continuation of tolls granted by the U.S. Congress for a period of time on a portion of the former Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (I-95) in the 1980s. This funding enabled the Willey Bridge (as it is known locally) to be opened as a toll free facility. The bridge began construction before 1988 and was complete in December 1989 along with the extension connecting it to the Chippenham Parkway.The James River is relatively shallow where the Willey Bridge crosses well above the falls of the river at Richmond. In contrast, at the south end of the Chippenham Parkway, a very costly high-level bridge was required on the Pocahontas Parkway to cross over the navigable tidal portion of the same river downstream of the deepwater Port of Richmond. The bridge is a peculiar design, as it makes somewhat of an "S" shape. As you travel north on the bridge, it takes a left hand turn on the south end remains straight over the river and turns right on the north end.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Edward E. Willey Bridge (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Edward E. Willey Bridge
Edward E Willey Memorial Bridge,

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N 37.559444444444 ° E -77.571388888889 °
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Edward E Willey Memorial Bridge

Edward E Willey Memorial Bridge
23229
Virginia, United States
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Westham Bridge
Westham Bridge

Westham Bridge crossed the James River between Henrico County and Chesterfield County. The bridge was located between Bosher Dam and Williams Island Dam just west of the 7 miles of rapids and falls which constitute the fall line of the James River at Richmond, Virginia. Built as a toll bridge in 1911, it was named for the nearby Westham Station of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway near the north end. Also nearby at the north end were the remains of the James River and Kanawha Canal. The privately held company which financed the bridge, Southampton Bridge Corporation, was headed by developer George Craghead Gregory, who also had plans to extend a streetcar line from an existing line at Westhampton Park (now the University of Richmond) to the suburban community of Bon Air. Originally developed as a popular resort, Bon Air had become a bedroom community of Richmond. Between the James River and Bon Air, Gregory controlled large land areas along the proposed rail line which he hoped to develop. However, despite his plans, aside from grading of right-of-way, Gregory's planned streetcar line did not materialize. After 1933, State Route 147 was routed across the Westham Bridge. It connected River Road and Westham Parkway in Henrico with Southampton Road and the new Huguenot Road in Chesterfield. In 1950, the Westham Bridge, which had been subject to flooding and was inadequate for traffic in the growing suburban area, was replaced by the new Huguenot Memorial Bridge, named in honor of the French Huguenot settlers who came to the area in the 18th century to escape religious persecution in France. The old bridge was dismantled, but the abutments for it remained visible at each end, and overhead power and telephone lines continued to mark the route. Traces of the old streetcar right-of-way may be seen along gently sloped Southampton Road and on Hazen Street in Bon Air. Gregory's old mansion, Granite Hall, now surrounded by a subdivision near Williams Island Dam, was still in use as a private residence in 2008. The C&O's Westham Station was relocated to a Richmond city park in 1961.