RICHMOND — Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that toll collection on the George P. Coleman Bridge will cease on the evening of Aug. 8.
“Eliminating tolls on the Coleman Bridge is more than just a financial decision, it’s a commitment to easing the burden on families, commuters, and local businesses who rely on this vital connection every day,” said Youngkin. “By removing this toll, we are putting nearly $60 million back into the pockets of hardworking Virginians, allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money and strengthen our local economy. This move also reflects our broader dedication to making life more affordable and accessible across the Commonwealth, supporting economic growth while enhancing the quality of life for all Virginians.”
Youngkin’s budget amendment in the 2025 Introduced Budget called for the elimination of tolls on the Coleman Bridge no later than Jan. 1, which the General Assembly adopted. The Virginia Department of Transportation has expedited this timeline, ending toll collection on the bridge nearly five months early on Aug. 8.
The state says that the elimination of Coleman Bridge tolls, which are collected from northbound traffic traveling from York County to Gloucester County, will provide direct financial relief to residents and commuters in the area as well as millions in cost savings for Virginia taxpayers. Currently, the one-way toll collection on the Coleman Bridge generates almost $6 million annually, with nearly half spent on toll collection operations.
“Removing the tolls on the Coleman Bridge is a fiscally responsible move by the Commonwealth that will save millions of dollars,” said Del. Chad Green. “Virginians in our Peninsula communities have more than paid their fair share, and I applaud Gov. Youngkin for making this change, working with the General Assembly to get this done and achieving toll relief for Virginians.”
The current tolling infrastructure on the bridge is at the end of its useful life and would require an almost $5 million investment to continue toll collection operations, according to the governor’s office. Instead, the additional costs will be avoided, and repayment of the bridge’s remaining debt is waived, eliminating the need for further investment in this toll infrastructure and delivering economic relief to local communities.
The governor said, weather permitting, work to remove the tolling signage on the Coleman Bridge will begin Aug. 8 at 9 p.m., requiring a single northbound lane closure overnight on Route 17 and a lane shift. Once tolling signs are removed, the two left toll lanes will be closed, and traffic will shift to the right using the remaining three lanes until the toll plaza is demolished.
“Removing tolls on the Coleman Bridge is a commonsense financial decision that benefits everyone who crosses the river from Yorktown to Gloucester Point,” said Sen. Danny Diggs. “When I was a kid, there was a toll on the bridge that was removed when the bond debt was paid. Then, the bridge was replaced and the toll went back on. I know that all of the people that use the Coleman Bridge are thrilled that the toll will be removed once again. The Commonwealth has fully repaid the bond debt that was secured for construction of this critical bridge, and the cost of continuing tolling would have been significant, unnecessarily costing taxpayers millions of dollars. I applaud Gov. Youngkin for working with us to decrease the cost of living in Virginia.”
The George P. Coleman Bridge originally opened in 1952 as a toll bridge. An initial toll was put in place to fund its construction debt, with toll collection ending in 1976 once that debt was paid. However, tolling was reinstated northbound in 1996 following a major reconstruction project that widened the bridge from two lanes to four lanes to handle growing traffic volumes. This second round of tolling was used to repay the bonds used for the project’s construction costs, with additional debt to VDOT and to cover operational expenses.
Currently, the Coleman Bridge is the largest double-swing span bridge in the United States, spanning 3,750 feet across the historic York River and connecting Gloucester Point with Yorktown.