VIDEO: Main Span of Bridge Over Kanawha River in Nitro, W.Va., Lifted into Place
Tue September 12, 2023 - Northeast Edition #20 West Virginia Division of Highways & Bluefield Daily Telegraph
The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) celebrated the continued success of Gov. Jim Justice's Roads to Prosperity highway and bridge construction and maintenance program on Sept. 6 as contractors lifted the main span of the new Donald M. Legg Memorial Bridge into position in Nitro.
Construction of the new bridge between the Nitro and St. Albans exits of Interstate 64 is part of an approximately $225 million project to upgrade I-64 to six lanes from Nitro to the U.S. Highway 35 exit. The project also called for construction of five new bridges in addition to the Donald M. Legg Bridge.
The project is paid for through Justice's $2.8 billion Roads to Prosperity program.
The main span, five beams wide, 11 ft. tall, and 314 ft. long, was pre-assembled and hoisted into place from a barge in the middle of the Kanawha River. The bridge section weighs about 2 million lbs., according to WVDOH.
"Thanks to the governor, we are almost finished with this important project," said Joe Pack, chief engineer of operations for the state agency.
The former main span of the old Donald M. Legg Bridge was gently lowered onto a barge last December as Pittsburgh-based Brayman Construction, and Trumbull Corp., another Pennsylvania contractor, began disassembling the old structure. That bridge served the public for 60 years, opening to traffic in 1962.
Since last year, contractors have spent time working on approach spans and pouring new concrete support piers for the main span on top of the old bridge piers. Lifting the main span into place completes construction of the bridge superstructure, although Brayman and Trumbull will still need to pour the bridge deck and pave the new roadway.
The contractors hope to pour the bridge deck prior to this winter and complete the paving when asphalt plants open in the spring of 2024.
In October 2022, Justice announced the opening of the Nitro WW1 Memorial Bridge just north of the old Donald M. Legg span to carry westbound traffic. The current rebuild is using a portion of the existing piers to carry traffic east. Each bridge will be four lanes wide to allow drivers traveling between the Nitro and St. Albans exits to travel without having to merge into through traffic.
Completion of the two bridges and the widening of I-64 to six lanes will open a major bottleneck on one of the most heavily travelled sections of interstate in West Virginia. The old bridge carried approximately 60,000 vehicles a day.
Plans Finalized for Princeton's New Thorn Street Bridge
After nearly 80 years of service, the Thorn Street Bridge in Princeton, W. Va. will finally be replaced with a new bridge following a West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) announcement in July and a finalization of plans in late August, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reported Aug. 1.
Jacob M. Flatley, a public information specialist for WVDOT, told the Bluefield news source that ORDERS Construction Co. Inc. in St. Albans, W. Va., had been awarded the contract to build the bridge — known as the Princeton Overhead Bridge Replacement Project — for $13.8 million. The project's funding also will come from Gov. Justice ‘s Roads to Prosperity program.
A pre-construction hearing was held in late August, when ORDERS Construction was told it could proceed with the project.
The work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
"The current bridge has served Princeton well but has required frequent repairs over the years," explained Ryland Musick, an engineer for District 10 of the WVDOH, in speaking to the newspaper. "The new bridge will continue to provide safe and reliable service to the town and its drivers for many years to come."
Flatley noted that the current bridge, built in 1947, will accommodate traffic on one lane as long as possible with alternative plans after that.
Princeton City Manager Mike Webb said, "The city of Princeton is truly excited to see the project start. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime project for the city and those who travel this important traffic artery. [It will also] be a safer route for those that live here and those who visit."
Princeton municipal officials noted that they plan to coordinate with WVDOH to alert residents when route changes would be necessary.
