Replacement on the way for aging bridge

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.(WAVY) - The Lesner Bridge in Virginia Beach as we know it will soon change when a new one is built to replace it. 

Phil Pullen, a transportation manager with the city's public works department told WAVY.com construction is set to begin in 2014.

"It is currently rated as 'poor' and being structurally deficient," Pullen said. "If we don't replace it we'll have to post it with weigh limit restrictions."

Frequent visitors of the area are aware of the bridge's deficiency.

"Now I've notices it. It is bad. Everything is rusting. You can see it," fisherman Ruben Manno said.

Pullen said the bridge's insufficiencies are due to its age, as well as the environment around it.

"[One span of] this bridge was built in 1958 and the other in 1967," Pullen said. "So with the ocean environment, it's just worn and repairs are becoming costly so its time to replace this bridge."

The current 35-foot bridge will be replaced with one 10 feet taller and wider to accommodate from four to six lanes, with a price tag of $100 million, $85 million of which is from the state and $15 million of which is from the city.