The recently completed footbridge near Wheeling Jesuit University is now open to residents and students. The replacement bridge project was made possible by a $170,000 anonymous donation the city of Wheeling received in November. Photo by Alex Meyer

WHEELING — A city footbridge made possible by an anonymous donation last fall is now open for students of Wheeling Jesuit University and other residents to use.

The replacement footbridge, which spans Wheeling Creek and connects the university to the Edgwood neighborhood, is now substantially completed, City Manager Robert Herron announced at Tuesday’s Wheeling City Council meeting.

“It is open and available not only for students but also residents of the neighborhood,” Herron said.

The bridge does not yet have Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, but the city plans to add that this spring, he said.

“We do have plans as the weather gets better to make it ADA accessible, so that is in the works,” Herron said.

The aluminum footbridge connects Locust Avenue to Currie Drive at the entrance to Wheeling Jesuit. It replaced an older bridge that the city closed in December 2017 because it was in poor condition.

The city received $170,000 to replace the bridge from an anonymous donor in November, which will cover nearly all the bridge’s costs. The total cost of the bridge is around $182,000 to $183,000, Herron said previously.

The bridge was partially completed by early January but required a new pier to support the structure.

Herron also thanked City Engineer Conrad Slanina for his work on the project.

“(He) did a really nice job with that, and if you take a look at it, it really looks great,” he said.