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Story With Slideshow And Video: Washington Avenue Bridge Re-Opens Ahead Of Schedule

By GAGE VOTA 5 min read

WHEELING - Just 10 months after the Washington Avenue Bridge closed for replacement, it’s ready for traffic once again.

Wheeling residents celebrated that milestone by holding a ceremony and festival on the bridge to commemorate it. Food trucks, inflatables and live music could be found there Sunday afternoon.

Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder said the bridge was completed ahead of schedule, which is a great benefit to the city. The project was slated to take 11 months but was able to be completed in 10 months.

It had been officially closed since Dec. 3, 2025. Then, in January, the bridge collapsed into Wheeling Creek while construction crews were working to dismantle the bridge deck. That collapse did nothing to delay the bridge’s replacement.

Hundreds of Wheeling residents turned out for the celebration Sunday. They were able to hear live music from Libby Adams and Punching Oswald, along with a performance from the Wheeling Park High School marching band, which marched across the bridge before stopping at the stage for a few tunes.

A kids zone featuring a face painter, balloon artist and other activities were just off of the bridge in a parking lot while the bridge was jammed packed with adults over 21 enjoying alcoholic beverages and people of all ages enjoying the several food trucks and activities.

The event ended with city officials cutting a ribbon on stage, officially marking the opening of the bridge.

"It connects us to WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, to Wheeling University, and of course to all of these magnificent businesses right along Washington Avenue," Magruder said. "It’s a big day to get this reopened, and I think the community realizes that so they’re out to celebrate."

He added that the project was a complete rebuild not just a remodel.

"There’s not a piece of the bridge that we’re now standing on that was here prior to last December," Magruder said.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation awarded a $5,342,000 contract to Charles J. Merlo Inc. of Mineral Point, Pa., for the work.

Magruder thanked the company for its hard work and dedication to get the bridge opened as quickly as possible.

Another reason to celebrate is the bridge will no longer have any weight restrictions.

"There are no weight restrictions like we had over the last several years that this bridge was opened. Fire trucks, ambulances, tractor trailers, it’s now a complete access way," Magruder said. "Which is very important. This is a direct connection to the hospital, and so it’s the fastest route for anything that happens on National Road. Before today, for the last 10 months, they’ve had to go all the way around down by Perkins Restaurant and go in the back way. So this is a tremendously important connection for the hospital, but even just for the residents here."

Two residents, Erin Cuffaro and Donna Hartlay, have experienced the hardship of the bridge being closed.

Both Cuffaro and Hartlay live in the Welty Townhomes. Hartlay said that she takes her grandchild to Kumon Math and Reading Center of Wheeling for tutoring which would normally take a few minutes but since the bridge closure takes nearly a half-hour.

Cuffaro added that National Road now has four coffee shops now that she's glad to see more businesses open in Wheeling but with the bridge closure it made traffic get congested very easily.

Hartlay said she was glad that Sunday had perfect weather for the party and her favorite part of the event was seeing the Wheeling Park High School Band march the length of the bridge.

The event was a joint collaboration between council member and Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis and council member Ty Thorngate.

Thorngate approached Sklavounakis since the bridge connects the two council members’ wards.

Thorngate's ward includes the neighborhoods of Edgewood, Pleasant Valley, Dimmeydale, Oakmont, Parkview, Springdale and Sklavounakis's ward is the neighborhoods of Morningside, Clator, Valley View, Leatherwood, Woodsdale, Greggsville, and Oglebay.

"The biggest thing for us was getting people together to have some fun and to celebrate this bridge reopening," Thorngate said. "We know that it’s been a major inconvenience for all of the residents that live out the pike here, as well as all the small businesses in the area. So again, we wanted to get the community together, celebrate the bridge reopening, and thank everyone for their patience during the construction."

Sklavounakis added that the city has seen the struggle that not only residents but the local businesses have faced since the bridge's closure.

"The Washington Avenue Bridge is a major artery here in the city of Wheeling. It helps people to commute to work, get on I-70, go to Wheeling Hospital, and its closure has affected not only Ward Four and Ward Five, but our city as a whole," Sklavounakis said. "But, I got to give Ty [Thorngate] the credit. The event was his idea, and I thought it was a great idea. So I did every other thing I could to support this happening, which I think is just one of those things that doesn’t really happen very often, but it’s a great community event. It’s bringing everyone together and just reminding us of what a wonderful city Wheeling is and the great quality of life we have here."

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