U.S. 50 bridge over Ohio River to cost $119.9 million

By DAVE PAYNE Sr.
Staff Writer

Contract The West Virginia Division of Highways awarded a $119.9 million contract Thursday to build the U.S. 50 bridge over the Ohio River near Parkersburg. Area officials said the project will bring growth to the area. It is the largest single highway contract in West Virginia history.

PARKERSBURG – “This is a great time in our history,” Parkersburg Mayor Jimmy Colombo said after learning the largest single highway contract in West Virginia history was awarded Thursday for construction of the U.S. 50 bridge across the Ohio River just south of Parkersburg.

“A great end result of the highway is that it will usher us into the 21st century with a lot of style,” Colombo said.

Colombo isn’t the only area official welcoming the news of the state Division of Highways announcing a Chicago company will construct the $119.9 million bridge.

Steve Nicely, president of the Parkersburg-Wood County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said, “I think it us going to be great news for the area and even better news when it is all done.  That’s something we’re really excited about, and that day will be very welcome indeed.”

Walsh Construction Co. received the contract to build to build the 4,009-foot long bridge, which is a joint venture of the DOH and the Ohio Department of Transportation.  Walsh made the lowest bid. 

The other bidders were Traylor Brothers, Inc., $130,841,728.27; American Bridge Co./Kokosing Construction Co. Inc., $136,008,732.32; Brayman Construction Corp., $143,321,709.02; and Trumbull Corp., $152,963,587.36.

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.

“It’s fantastic,” said George Kellenberger, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley.  “This is another sign of generating success for our valley and for the vitality of business.  This is a tremendous opportunity for job creation as well as to increase the tax base of our (Wood) county.”

Belpre Mayor Bill McAfee said he expects the project will bring growth to his city as well.

“We’re really counting on it to help our economic development in the city or right outside, either one would help out,” he said.

McAfee said the project would make open land along Ohio 618 near Belpre attractive for industry.

“West Virginia probably has a little more land near intersections to develop, but I think it will be helpful on our side of the river as well,” he said.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said the majority of the workers will be from the surrounding area.  According to the DOT, federal provisions require 80 percent of the labor be from the local hiring area unless not enough qualified workers can’t be found.

Nicely said Corridor D will take heavy traffic away from downtown Parkersburg, a shot in the arm the area needs.

“It will get the through traffic off downtown streets and make downtown more pedestrian friendly and spur development in downtown Parkersburg.  If people are not going to stop in Parkersburg there will be no reason for them to drive downtown, but they are not routed far away from the city,” Nicely said.

“The bridge will also provide a panoramic view of Parkersburg and Belpre for motorists,” Colombo said.

“This new bridge will be another gateway to our area, and people will be able to see a beautiful overview of all Parkersburg and Belpre when they come in.  That (project) shows people things are happening here.  This will be a main corridor that will connect Washington D.C., Baltimore to Cincinnati and Ohio, and I think that will do a lot for us,” Colombo said.

The 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.

According to the DOT, the bridge will be the longest bridge in West Virginia and the longest bridge of its type in the United States.  Construction is expected to take about three years.

Officials say the bridge contract calls for more than 14,705 tons of structural steel.

It will be a continuous girder bridge of eight spans ranging from 200 to 400 feet comprising the 2,629-foot approach from the West Virginia 892 interchange and will use 16.3 million pounds of plate girder steel, with nearly 1.6 million pounds in the continuous girder bridge of three spans ranging from 140 to 179 feet comprising the 494-foot approach from Ohio 618.

Colombo also said that fill dirt used from the U.S. 50 project has opened up much land to future development

Posted with permission from The Parkersburg News & Sentinel

 

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