Nansemond River Bridge

The Nansemond River Bridge is a four-lane bridge that crosses the river in Suffolk and forms part of U.S. Route 17. It carries traffic between communities on either side of the waterway, serving both through traffic and local commuters.

The current bridge was built in 1982 and replaced an earlier structure from 1928 that was part of a bridge system operated by the James River Bridge Corporation. This new bridge marked the end of the era when ferries were the main way to cross the river in southeastern Virginia.

The bridge bears the name of Mills E. Godwin Jr, a former Virginia governor who represented the interests of the Chuckatuck community.

Access to the bridge is via U.S. Route 17, which forms the main traffic artery in the region and connects at interchanges in Suffolk. The best time to cross is outside rush hours when traffic flows more smoothly.

The bridge is named after Mills E. Godwin Jr., a former Virginia governor whose family represented the Chuckatuck area. This naming connects the modern infrastructure to the local political history of the region.

Location: Virginia

Inception: 1982

Official opening: 1982

GPS coordinates: 36.88694,-76.49253

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:20