By BRETT DUNLAP, Staff Writer
04/13/07 - PARKERSBURG — Although weather has delayed some aspects of the construction of the Blennerhassett Bridge, highway officials in both West Virginia and Ohio are expecting the structure to be completed and opened by the end of November.
Harsh winter weather during the earlier part of this year had postponed some work, said Julie Hartman, project manager for West Virginia Department of Highways.
High winds caused delays with crane work around the bridge, she said.
‘‘Due to the weather, we have had to move the estimated completion of the bridge from September to November,’’ she said. ‘‘Right now, we have 75 percent of the project completed.’’
The bridge is expected to be open by Nov. 30, Hartman said.
In January, crews reached a major milestone with workers laying a keystone piece connecting the two halves of the bridge’s arch.
At around $122 million, the bridge project is the largest, single highway contract awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways, said Brent Walker, assistant director of communications for the West Virginia Department of Transportation.
The The 4,009-foot-long bridge will complete the four-lane upgrade of U.S. 50 from Clarksburg to the Ohio line.
‘‘The bridge is the last remaining part of the Corridor D project,’’ Walker said.
All the other roadways through the area are complete with most having traffic on them, highway officials said.
Once the highway is completed, many local officials are hoping for new opportunities for economic development as the road will provide access to areas previously cutoff, and the road is expected to bring many people through the area.
Walker said once the bridge is completed, the highway department will want to do a formal presentation to open the bridge.
‘‘We want to move forward to great fanefare to commemorate the last part of Corridor D in West Virginia being completed,’’ he said.
Through April and into early May work crews are continuing to errect steel girders and then work will begin on the concrete deck placement that will make up the road across the bridge, which will continue through the summer, Hartman said.
Traffic could be let onto the bridge once it is completed with crews doing other smaller projects around the site as needed until everything is completed, she said.
The project is a joint venture between the West Virginia Division of Highways and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The actual bridge construction is being overseen by the West Virginia highway department while ODOT is handling all of the approaches on the Ohio side, said Stephanie Filson, public information officer with ODOT.
‘‘Right now, the project is moving right along,’’ she said. ‘‘We are looking forward to having the project completed and opening it simultaneously with West Virginia.’’
Currently, crews are working on overpasses, on ramps and other parts of the interchange for Ohio 7, Ohio 339 and U.S. 50 onto the bridge. Crews are also doing other pavement and drainage work that has been weather dependant.
‘‘Wet weather has affected some of our work, but not the overall schedule,’’ Filson said.
Posted with permission from The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
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