Temporary lane closures are scheduled for southbound Interstate 95 near Fredericksburg, Virginia, Tuesday night in preparation for the opening of a new southbound bridge over the Rappahannock River.

The closures, which will last roughly 19 hours into Wednesday afternoon, will allow highway crews to prepare for the new traffic pattern that will go into effect when the second span opens.

The crews will be milling and paving, as well as uncovering new overhead signs. The work is set to begin at 7 p.m.

The lane closures will stretch from Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) to Exit 130 (Route 3)

The Virginia Department of Transportation says southbound drivers should expect major delays, and drivers are encouraged to choose an alternate route.

All northbound lanes will remain open.

Under the new traffic pattern, the existing southbound bridge will carry local traffic between Exit 33 (Route 17) in Stafford County and Exit 130 (Route 3) in Fredericksburg City.

Overall, the new bridge is expected to double southbound capacity across the Rappahannock River, according to VDOT. Construction on the $132 million project began in August 2018 and is set to be completed by December — five months ahead of schedule.

A project to add more northbound travel lanes began in summer 2020, and the new lanes are expected to open to traffic in early 2024.

WTOP’s Nick Iannelli contributed to this report.