Chesterfield eyes $47M fix for flood-prone Otterdale Road crossing

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Chesterfield County officials are preparing to tackle the fourth of five flood-prone Otterdale Road crossings, this time at Swift Creek just north of Genito Road.

During a virtual community meeting on Monday, Aug. 18, the county’s Transportation Department outlined plans for a $47 million project aimed at eliminating routine flooding in the busy and growing western part of the county.

Funded through Chesterfield’s $300 million transportation bond sale in June 2024, the project calls for construction of a one-third-mile multispan bridge, raising the roadway 10 to 15 feet, adding new drainage infrastructure and building a sidewalk along the west side of the project area.

At its highest point, the bridge would stand 27 feet tall and be capable of handling a 100-year storm event without water overtopping the road.

“We have had eight road closures at this location in just the past two years. That’s quite a lot,” said Nate Mathis, principal engineer with Chesterfield DOT and project manager for the improvements. “It’s something that needs to be addressed.”

(Photo: Chesterfield County)

The project follows a series of improvements sparked by a historic August 2020 storm, when more than 10 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours and left multiple stretches of Otterdale Road underwater.

In the aftermath, the Board of Supervisors funded replacements at Horsepen Creek, Blackman Creek and Otterdale Branch. That work wrapped up in December 2023, more than six months ahead of schedule.

“That project was a big success,” Mathis said. “It was disruptive for a period because of detours, but people who live and travel in that area now don’t have to worry about the road being flooded.”

Like those previous efforts, the Swift Creek project will use a design-build procurement process — a method county leaders claim will accelerate the timeline, encourage competition and innovation among contractors and improve schedule reliability.

The Board of Supervisors is set to consider awarding a design-build contract at its meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27. If approved, design work would be finalized with construction starting in fall 2026.

Plans call for shutting down Otterdale Road north of the Genito Road roundabout in summer 2028. The closure is expected to last fewer than three months — about one-third the length of the detour required during the initial Otterdale Road drainage project.

County officials anticipate reopening the roadway before schools resume in August.

Residents can provide feedback on the Swift Creek Drainage Project by completing an online survey by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18.

For more information, visit the county’s website or contact the Transportation Department at 804-748-1037.