By Dave Payne, Sr.
01/27/07 - PARKERSBURG — Although there was no ’’golden spike’’ ceremony, a milestone was reached Friday in the construction of what will be West Virginia’s longest bridge as workers laid a keystone piece connecting the two halves of the Corridor D bridge’s arch.
Project engineer Tommy Collins of contractor Walsh Construction said completing the arch is a major part of the bridge project.
"One of the last keystone pieces was set today – we still have another – connecting the two spans. It’s something we’ve worked up to for the entire job,” Collins said.
Basically the main portion of the job is the arch and it is definitely a good moment when it fits together. Definitely a good moment,’’ Collins added.
That second keystone piece connecting the arch on the southern side should be put in place today or early next week, he said.
At $119.9 million, the bridge project is the largest, single highway contract in West Virginia history.
Collins said weather has slowed construction at times.
"Weather has impeded us this time of the year. The arch is 250 feet up and the winds are really heavy there. The wind has slowed us. You have the wind effect of the river already and it’s much worse at those heights. We’ve been working slower and you have to pick days when (to) sit still and when not to,’’ Collins said.
Collins said the bridge has been built from the Ohio side of the Ohio River toward West Virginia. He sat the span has reached the edge of Blennerhassett Island on the Wood County side.
’’People should be able to drive on it late in the fall of this year,’’ he said.
The 4,009-foot-long bridge will complete the four-lane upgrade of U.S. 50 from Clarksburg to the Ohio line. The route was one of the original 23 Appalachian corridors selected in 1965 under the Appalachian Development Highway System.
Local officials are anticipating the economic development opportunities.
Wood County Commission President Bob Tebay said although other portions of Corridor D are ready, they will not be used to their full potential without the bridge.
"The bridge is the key to Corridor D being used for this area," Tebay said. "I don’t think we’re going to see the development at the intersections until that bridge is open."
Some people fear the corridor will cause motorists to bypass Parkersburg, but Mayor Bob Newell said the completed road will open up the city, especially downtown, to more people.
"This corridor will help bring people our way. I don’t believe it’ll be a bypass at all," he said.
Located about 70 miles from Charleston and 120 miles from Columbus, Parkersburg is one of the bigger cities in a large area, Newell said. When it’s easier to travel to Parkersburg, more people will come, he said.
"Parkersburg is a nice-sized city right in the middle of all of this, and this corridor will open us up to southeastern Ohio," Newell said.
One of the new exits brings motorists right into the downtown area, the mayor pointed out. Had that been the case 30 years ago, downtown might not have lost all the business it has over the years, Newell said.
The final piece of the corridor, the bridge is a joint venture of the West Virginia Division of Highways and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
West Virginia's share of the contract is about $16 million, with Ohio paying another $8.4 million. The remainder will be paid with federal funding, said DOH spokeswoman Carol Melling.
The bridge will have more than 14,705 tons of structural steel.The bridge will use 16.3 million pounds of plate girder steel. Nearly 1.6 million pounds will be in the continuous girder bridge of three spans, ranging from 140 to 179 feet, comprising the 494-foot approach from Ohio 618.
Posted with permission from The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
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