WVDOT Offers Details on Washington Avenue Bridge Collapse

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At around 2 p.m. today, a section of the Washington Avenue Bridge over Wheeling Creek collapsed in Wheeling.

The city-owned bridge was closed and being demolished for a replacement project WVDOH is administering as part of the federal off-system bridge program.

The contractor is Merlo, Inc.

An excavator and a dump truck were on top of the bridge pulling up the bridge deck when the bridge superstructure collapsed, dropping that section of the bridge into the water below.

The steel superstructure is currently in the water, but the remaining deck and construction equipment are above water. There are reports of minor injuries.

A collapsed bridge.
At the time of the collapse, an excavator and a dump truck were on top of the bridge, pulling up the bridge deck.
A bridge.
A number of residents in the Washington Avenue area stated on social media that they felt the collapse at their homes. (Photo provided by Teri Cunningham)

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