Yes, it remains closed, and that will be the status of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge for two years after the rehabilitation projects begin later in 2021.
When will the renovations begin? The answer to that question is not only unknown for elected city and state officials but also for District 6 Engineer Tony Clark after the single bid received was rejected by state officials. In early December 2019, officials with the State Department of Transportation officially rejected a project bid for $17.7 million from the one and only construction firm to apply for the job.
“That’s why, right now, I am waiting on an update about the (Wheeling Suspension) bridge, and the people in Charleston are working on the plans for the project, and then they will put it out for bid again,” Clark reported. “I am not sure when it will be put out for another bidding process at this point.
“When it was put out to bid the first time, only one company submitted a proposal, so the decision was made to take another look at it and put it out for bid again,” he said. “The one that was received was pretty well above the estimate that was developed in Charleston, and while it is normal for those bids to come in a little higher than the estimates, the one we did receive was a reason for them to take another look.”
Vehicles. What About Vehicles?
The historic Suspension Bridge has been closed on more than a few occasions over the past five years, including when motorcoaches have traveled over the span. The weight limit for the structure is a mere two tons, but that rule and others were ignored for years by local and out-of-town motorists.
Traffic studies and surveys have been conducted, and methods of enforcing the weight and height limits have been considered. No decisions, though, have been made because there is the chance span could be closed to vehicular traffic for good.
“I still really do not know if reopening it to traffic is going to be a possibility,” Clark admitted. “What I have always been told is that there’s only so much that we know right now and that we’re not going to be able to answer that question until the company crews get into the guts of the bridge to see how extensive the damage is right now. The age of the Suspension Bridge and its historical value to the community and to the state are things that have to be considered, as well.
“They have to unwrap those cables and really get into the meat of what’s wrong,” he explained. “That’s the only time when a full assessment can be performed, and not until then will we know if vehicular traffic will be permitted again. The weight limit and the amount of traffic are other things that will be considered, so it’s still too early right now to say one way or the other.”
City and State
It is a common question, of course, that Ward 2 Councilman Ben Seidler and Del. Erikka Storch (R-D3) field during every conversation with a Wheeling Island resident.
Is it? Well? IS IT?
“In the 10 years I have been elected to serve in this position, this is the most I have had to communicate with the people with the Department of Transportation not only because of the Interstate 70 project but also because of the importance of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge to the residents of Wheeling Island,” Storch said. “It’s one of the most popular questions I get asked when I am contacted by those residents because of the convenience factor and because of the I-70 project.
“With that said, there’s so much to consider when it comes to the Suspension Bridge, and the first thing is how old it is and the history that goes with it,” she explained. “That bridge really is the original ‘Gateway to the West,’ and that’s why the first priority is preserving it. If that means it remains closed to cars and trucks, it’s really nobody’s fault. I really hope that’s not the case, but it depends on what’s necessary to protect it.”
The same goes for Seidler, who was elected to the Ward 2 Council position in June and took office on July 1. IS IT?
“I get asked questions about the future of the Suspension Bridge pretty often, and most of the time is about whether or not it will open to traffic again,” Seidler said. “I know everyone on Wheeling Island hopes it does reopen, but what I tell them is that the folks with DOH want to make sure it’s not going to fall into the river first and foremost, and the decision on traffic will be made after it is stabilized.
“With the Interstate 70 project and all of the lane closures on the Fort Henrry Bridge, it would have been nice for Island residents to have had the Suspension Bridge as an alternative. The I-70 project was just beginning, though, when the Suspension Bridge was closed, so it all was really bad timing,” the council member said. “The District 6 engineer, though, has attended meeting, and he’s done a great job answering everyone’s questions.”
