One year ago, thousands of West Virginians and Ohioans gathered at the Ohio River to celebrate the opening of the Wellsburg Bridge.
Stretching 1,875 feet across the river, the bridge has connected the Brooke County city of Wellsburg with the Ohio community of Brilliant since September 2023.
The West Virginia Division of Highways project cost roughly $131 million, establishing a 4,100-ton bridge in a community tens of miles away from the nearest river crossing.
Recently, the project’s acclaim has extended beyond Appalachia. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has named it one of 12 finalists for America’s Transportation Award.
The annual prize is awarded to a transportation project in the United States that excels in safety, community development, innovation and operations, according to the award program’s website.
Other finalists come from around the country, from an Arizona interstate improvement project to Florida pedestrian safety efforts.
The Wellsburg Bridge is eligible for the grand prize, which is determined by AASHTO staff, as well as the people’s choice award, which is determined by public voting.
The bridge is aesthetically striking, with an 830-foot main span that cuts a 40-minute drive to a five-minute trip, according to highway officials.
The project “ensured safer access to the main span during construction while keeping the Ohio River’s central channel open for barge traffic,” reads the award program website. “The new Wellsburg Bridge now links the two communities, eliminating the lengthy commute.”
It also received acclaim at the Southeastern Association of State Highway Officials in August, picking up regional awards alongside the Grant Street Bridge in Bluefield and US 340 stabilization efforts in Jefferson County.
“This is an incredible day for both Wellsburg and Brilliant because we are finally opening a bridge connecting these two communities that is long overdue,” Gov. Jim Justice said during the September 2023 bridge opening.
“This bridge is going to make life better for everyone who travels through West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle,” he said.
Voting remains open until Oct. 29 at 11:59 p.m., and residents can vote every 24 hours. The winners will be announced during the annual AASHTO meeting, held in Philadelphia this year from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
The Wellsburg Bridge and other nominated projects “serve as the best of the best transportation projects completed by state departments of transportation across the country,” said AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon in a Sept. 10 press release.
To vote for a winner of the 2024 America’s Transportation Award, visit the award program’s website.
