Caelan Bailey Published

Tunney Hunsaker Bridge Begins Repairs In Tourism Off-Season

a stack of wood in front of a truck weight sign and side view of a bridge
Two-by-fours used to replace the bridge's wooden deck.
West Virginia Department of Transportation
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During the seasonal tourism lull at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) has begun repairs on the Tunney Hunsaker bridge, with a target end date of March 31.

“We’re dismantling the old timber deck and replacing it as we go,” Deputy District 9 Engineer Nathan Thomas said.

Hundreds of feet below the park’s arched steel New River Gorge Bridge, the smaller, older bridge was the first to cross the river between mining towns in 1899. The Tunney Hunsaker bridge initially closed with the opening of the iconic New River Gorge bridge in 1977, then resumed operations in 1997 after an initial increase in outdoor recreation in the area.

Thomas said tourists and guides typically use the bridge for rafting and trail transportation in warmer months. After harsh weather delayed repair plans in January, Thomas said the crew has now shut down the bridge and the attached road to complete repairs before non-local crowds return.

“We’re hoping to have it all complete by the end of March,” Thomas said.

The Tunney Hunsaker bridge’s operations timeline follows the gorge’s gradual absorption into the National Parks Service (NPS). In 1978, 53 miles of the gorge joined the NPS. In 1988, the NPS established the Gauley National Recreation area and the Bluestone National Scenic River. At the end of 2020, New River Gorge Park and Preserve became the nation’s newest national park.

According to the most recent NPS data, 1.7 million people visited New River Gorge Park and Preserve in 2023, after years of increasing visitation. In 2019, the year before becoming a national park, the area recorded 1.4 million visitors.

Around the Tunney Hunsaker bridge, in 2021 WVDOH daily traffic counts at points on Fayette Station Road recorded an average of 189 vehicles per day south near Fayetteville and an average of 109 vehicles per day north near Lansing. On the east side of US 19 nearby, WVDOH recorded an average of 1,859 vehicles per day.

However, while parkgoers use the Tunney Hunsaker bridge, the structure remains under the oversight of the state. That means West Virginia funds are responsible for repair costs; according to the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s Tuesday statement, “bridge engineers decided to do the work in-house to save time and money,” with the deck replacement cost totaling around $180,000.