Top Stories Of 2023: Bridge Finally Links Wellsburg And Brilliant
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WELLSBURG - Talk of a new bridge linking Wellsburg to Brilliant started more than a century ago, but the span became reality in 2023.
The first cars drove across the bridge the morning of Sept. 21, the day after state officials hosted a grand opening ceremony for the bridge. Among those in attendance were Gov. Jim Justice and his English bulldog Babydog.
An estimated 2,500 people gathered on the bridge for the event. There were bands, a car show, and an opportunity for some to be the first to run/walk across the bridge.
Prior to the opening of the Wellsburg Bridge, motorists needed to travel eight miles north or 13 miles south to cross the river.
The project to construct the bridge was awarded in 2016 to Flatiron Construction, who submitted a bid proposal of $131 million to do the job.
Construction began in April 2018, with pilings constructed off-site.
Three years later, in April of 2021, the pilings were floated down the river by barge and set into place at the bridge site. The move was said to have greatly shortened construction time of the bridge, which would open just over two years later.
Former State Sen. Jack Yost, D-Brooke, had been among those pushing for construction of the Wellsburg Bridge. He said he attended his first meeting on the subject in 1996.
"I was there last week (in Wellsburg), and there was a lot of discussion about traveling back and forth to Brilliant," he said. "Both communities are taking advantage of the other town like I've never seen before."
Many Wellsburg residents had never been to nearby Brilliant, and likewise, many Brilliant residents had never been to Wellsburg.
"I had lived in Wellsburg over 50 years, but I had never been to Brilliant," Yost said. "The bridge now makes it much more convenient."
He noted he next wants to try pizza from a business in Brilliant he has been hearing about from Wellsburg residents.
Additionally, those living in Brooke County working at the Cardinal Power Plant in Brilliant have a shorter commute. And both West Liberty University and Bethany College are hoping to attract more students from across the Ohio River, according to Yost.
Then there are the safety advantages, he added. First responders on one side of the river can travel to the other side quickly when needed. Rock slides on West Virginia 2 also cause backups frequently, and the bridge will offer a convenient detour, according to Yost.
"I still haven't got to the pizza shop yet," he added.
What's next is an official naming of the span. The name is expected to be decided by members of the West Virginia Legislature after they convene for regular session in January.
Among the suggested names have been the Pioneer Bridge, the Black Bear Bridge, the Cardinal Bridge and the Wellsburg Century Bridge.
Senate Majority Whip Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, said the new name probably won't be that creative.
"I fully expect the Legislature to just vote to call it the Wellsburg Bridge," Weld said. "If you live in this area, you know everyone refers to it as the Wellsburg Bridge."
He added the importance of the new Wellsburg Bridge can't be underestimated.
"With the closure of the bridge near Chester, with the ongoing construction on the Veterans bridge and now the closure of the Market Street Bridge (in Weirton) we're down to two - the Wellsburg Bridge and the Veterans Bridge.
"And if an inspection reveals something that necessitates the closure of the Veterans Bridge, we'll have just the Wellsburg Bridge."