Berkley Bridge (Virginia) - History, Earlier Bridges

History, Earlier Bridges

The town of Berkley was in Norfolk County, Virginia. It was located directly across the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River across from the city of Norfolk. In 1909, the incorporated town of Berkley in Norfolk County was annexed by the independent city of Norfolk, and is now considered a neighborhood of that city. (The town of Berkley and Norfolk County are both now extinct. In 1963, remaining portions of Norfolk County were consolidated with the city of South Norfolk to form the new city of Chesapeake).

There have been several incarnations of a Berkley Bridge. An earlier Berkley Bridge was built before 1922, east of the present one, along Main Street. A replacement for that span, in the present location, was completed in 1952 as part of the original Norfolk–Portsmouth Bridge-Tunnel project between the city of Portsmouth and Norfolk. The project was funded with toll revenue bonds. When the bonds were fully repaid, the tolls were removed.