Great Bridge Locks on adjusted schedule

Great Bridge Locks on adjusted schedule
Published April 14, 2023
Updated: May 9, 2023
Boats traveling south along the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal pass through the Great Bridge Locks in Chesapeake, Va.

Boats traveling south along the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal pass through the Great Bridge Locks in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Due to an electrical infrastructure malfunction at the Great Bridge facility, the lock is being operated on generator power.

Until permanent repairs can be made, lockings will occur every other hour (12 lockings to accommodate both northbound and southbound transits per 24-hour period). The times of the northbound transits of the lock provided by the operators are as follows:

• 2 a.m.
• 4 a.m.
• 6 a.m.
• 8 a.m.
• 10 a.m.
• Noon
• 2 p.m.
• 4 p.m.
• 6 p.m.
• 8 p.m.
• 10 p.m. 
• Midnight

Southbound transits of the lock will occur roughly 20 minutes after each Northbound transit.

Vessels drafting less than 6 feet are encouraged to utilize the Dismal Swamp Canal for transit. All attempts will be made to reduce the impacts to vessels transiting the Albermarle and Chesapeake Canal, however, minor delays should be anticipated.