Wheeling Proposes Pedestrian, Bicycle Bridge Over Ohio River
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WHEELING -- West Virginia transportation officials are considering a request from the city to build a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the back channel of the Ohio River after the now-closed Aetnaville Bridge is demolished.
City Manager Bob Herron sent the letter to state Transportation Sec. Byrd White on Dec. 10 proposing ways the community would benefit by reconnecting the "vital and popular" span between Wheeling Island and Martins Ferry.
White responded late last week and informed city officials that state transportation engineers will spend the next 60 days reviewing the proposal.
The Aetnaville Bridge, which was built in 1891, was closed to vehicle traffic in 1988, but subsequently used for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. In 2016, the bridge was permanently closed when routine inspection found "imminent" failure conditions, with numerous supports rusted through and structurally unsafe.
Transportation officials previously said they hoped to demolish the bridge by the end of next year.
A June 27 workshop in Wheeling asked the public for suggestions on what to do once the span is demolished. While several people asked for the Aetnaville Bridge to be preserved, another popular option was to connect the two sides with another span for pedestrians and bicycles.
During the meeting "there was overwhelming support from the public to maintain a pedestrian/bicycle bridge at this location," Herron wrote in his letter.
Wheeling is working closely with Bel-O-Mar Regional Council on the project, which is estimated to cost about $3 million. The proposal would repair and reuse piers from the Aetnaville Bridge after the deck is demolished before building a new 10-foot-wide span.
Herron proposed that the cost be split for Ohio and West Virginia, although the bulk of the money would come through federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement funding.
Entities from West Virginia would supply $2 million for construction while the Ohio Department of Transportation would pay no more than $1 million through Bel-O-Mar Regional Council and CMAQ grant. Wheeling would commit 10% in local matching dollars with another 10% match from the state, with the remainder needed to reach $2 million to be supplied through the CMAQ money, Herron proposed.
The city would eventually take ownership of the bridge after construction is completed and West Virginia would inspect it, Herron said.