WVDOT Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

No Funds To Repair, Replace Closed Ohio River Bridge

On Dec. 21, the department shut down the Market Street Bridge, which crosses the Ohio River from Brooke County to Steubenville, Ohio.

State transportation officials closed a bridge in the Northern Panhandle last month, and the funds are not there to fix or replace it.

State Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston told lawmakers Tuesday that none of the nearly 7,000 bridges in West Virginia would be open if they were not safe.

On Dec. 21, his department shut down the Market Street Bridge, which crosses the Ohio River from Brooke County to Steubenville, Ohio.

The closure of the bridge, built in 1905, angered local officials. But Wriston estimated the bridge would cost tens of millions of dollars to fix – funds he doesn’t have.

“If we were fortunate enough to get an earmark, one of our senators sent me a $60 million down here today and said, ‘Have at it.’ Oh, we’ll start the process today,” Wriston said Tuesday. “But I don’t have Market Street in our six-year plan. It’s not there.”

Federal funds have been made available under the 2021 infrastructure law to fix bridges.

The Division of Highways plans to inspect the 1,800-foot bridge later in the month without a live load. It said the steel strands inside the bridge’s support cables have been rapidly deteriorating.

Market Street Bridge Near Weirton Closed

The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) closed the bridge following an inspection on Dec. 20. The steel suspension bridge is nearly 120 years old.

The Market Street Bridge connecting Weirton, West Virginia and Steubenville, Ohio is closed to all traffic starting Dec. 21.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) closed the bridge following an inspection on Dec. 20. The steel suspension bridge is nearly 120 years old.

The department said that it goes above the federal requirement for bridge inspections, doing them on a two-year cycle or more frequently if needed.

Tracy Brown, state bridge engineer, said the Market Street Bridge, due to its age, was on a three-month inspection cycle.

“Just like, as a person gets older they go to the doctor more often, we increase (the frequency of) inspection intervals,” Brown said.

During September’s three-month inspection, the WVDOT lowered the weight limit on the bridge to three tons. In the Dec. 20 inspection, crews found six broken strands to the suspension cables that anchor the bridge.

“We thought it was best, you know, until we can do some investigation and see exactly what’s going on structurally there the best thing would be to close it, and not take any chances,” Brown said.

Detour routes are available using US 22, over the Ohio River via the Veterans Memorial Bridge or County Route 2/23, using the Wellsburg Bridge.

It’s unclear when the bridge will be fixed and reopened.

Wheeling Streetscape Project May Offer Small Business Financial Relief Plan

With limited customer access for dozens of shops and restaurants, Wheeling City Council will vote on a relief plan that offers qualified businesses credits against their Business and Occupation (B & O) taxes and up to $10,000 in financial aid.

The $32 million, two-year streetscape project now underway includes total rebuilds of busy Main and Market streets along with new infrastructure and landscaping throughout downtown Wheeling.

Chef Matt Welsch owns the Vagabond Kitchen located in the thick of the construction. He said the financial help is appreciated for a project that’s long overdue.

“It’s been pushed off and pushed off because it’s a state route,” Welsch said. “It’s going to be absolutely wonderful when it’s done. I just hope it’s not a beautiful ghost town.”

The plan is officially called the “Downtown Streetscape Project to provide small retail business B & O tax credits and monetary relief of up to $10,000 for lost revenue of Small Retail Businesses.” Council has set aside $300,000 to fund the project.

Welsch said as the project got past the beginning stages, “there was a whole lot of hoping for the best and not really knowing how to plan for the worst.”

“There’s sporadic outbreaks of construction throughout downtown,” Welsch said. “There’s been poor communication from the construction company, with city council and with the businesses, so we really never know what’s going to happen. At the end of the day, it’s still just a minor inconvenience for folks to come down and support us.”

A Dec. 6 project update from the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) noted that, to date, crews have removed existing sidewalks and replaced them with proposed sidewalks including some of the new streetscape features along the west side of Main Street. The release said drainage structure work continues throughout the downtown area.

The release said remaining work to be performed includes sidewalk replacement along the remaining east side of Main Street, both sides of 16th Street, 10th Street, Market Street, as well as a couple short segments of Chapline and Eoff Street.

Also yet to be done, remaining streetscape activities (trees, shrubs, etc.); work associated with removal of existing and replacing with new traffic signals; and milling and paving of all streets included in the project.

Wheeling City Council will vote on the streetscape relief plan Jan. 2, 2024.

Streetscape Construction Continues In Downtown Wheeling

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg toured the Wheeling Streetscape project in July.

Construction on a project to renew downtown Wheeling’s streets and sidewalks continues.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation is installing drainage structures along Main and Market streets in Wheeling.

The construction requires pedestrian and traffic detours but with access to all businesses.

Crews still need to install sidewalks and trees and shrubs. They will replace traffic lights and eventually mill and pave the affected streets.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg toured the Wheeling Streetscape project in July. It received a $16 million grant from a federal discretionary infrastructure spending program called RAISE, or Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure With Sustainability and Equity.

The $32 million project broke ground last year and is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2025.

Speeding In A Work Zone Could Cost You

With the number of highway and bridge construction projects accelerating, WVDOT wants to get the message across to drivers: speeding in work zones will not be tolerated.

Drivers who fail to obey the speeding laws in West Virginia, could face hefty penalties.

In 2022, the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) recorded 800 crashes in work zones across the state that killed eight people and left 276 injured.

With the number of highway and bridge construction projects accelerating, WVDOT wants to get the message across to drivers: speeding in work zones will not be tolerated.

On the first day of enforcement of stepped up patrols this week, along a five mile stretch of I-64 between the Huntington Mall and 29th Street in Huntington, police stopped 120 drivers violating the speed limit and other infractions.

Extra police patrols will also be enforcing the speed limit in work zones along the I-64 route between Charleston and Huntington.

On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice used his weekly briefing to urge drivers to slow down.

“We are adding extra police patrols,” Justice said. “And we’re going to target speeders, we’re gonna write tickets and it’s probably going to be a bad day for a lot of people, but we’ve got to slow down going through the worksite and so please take heed, show some consideration.”

The governor talked about his Roads to Prosperity initiative, pointing out that West Virginia is attracting more visitors who are noticing improvements in the state’s highways. He said that includes maintenance in high risk work zones where a lot of people go to work each day.

“So please heed this, we need your consideration,” Justice said. “We’ve got these good people coming to work every day, and they deserve, absolutely, the right to be going home every day, too.”

WVDOT said it will post more signage and speed monitors in work zones where speeding violations can result in $200 in fines and up to 20 days in jail for anyone caught driving 15 miles above the posted speed limit.

Meanwhile, anyone caught violating West Virginia’s distracted driving laws faces fines ranging from $100 to $300 plus court costs and demerit points being applied to their license.

Feds To Contribute $548 Million To Rebuild State's Aging Bridges

Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston said the infusion of funds will allow the state to repair 2,700 bridges over 10 years.

The state will receive more than $548 million over the next five years from the Federal Highway Administration to invest in its bridges.

Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston said the infusion of funds will allow the state to repair 2,700 bridges over 10 years.

“So you’re going to start seeing a lot of bridge work in West Virginia,” Wriston said. “A lot of bridge work in West Virginia.”

Wriston said about 75 bridges owned by municipalities are eligible for 100 percent funding, where a 20 percent local match would otherwise be required. His department will work to find matching funds for another 39 bridges.

The funding comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of last year, which Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin voted for, along with retiring Rep. David McKinley.