Officials with the Ohio Department of Transportation expect to begin demolition of the Fort Steuben Bridge in late 2008, while the West Virginia Department of Transportation is negotiating with an engineering consultant considered for a study to determine the best location of a new Ohio River bridge.

John Brown, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, said officials with ODOT have indicated they hope to name a contractor for the Fort Steuben Bridge’s demolition in October 2008. Pending the contractor’s availability, the project is expected to begin in November or December of that year.

The demolition could cost up to $5 million and is expected to take nine to 18 months to complete.

Brown said he’s asked if money obtained through the sale of scrap metal from the bridge could be used to improve access to the Veterans Memorial Bridge. However, he didn’t know the estimated value of the scrap but believed it would be substantial.

He said ODOT seemed willing to consider the idea, which was suggested by an engineer working with BHJ on another project.

Improving access to the Veterans Memorial Bridge from both sides of the river was named a priority by a committee formed by BHJ to consider a site for a new bridge between Brooke and Jefferson counties.

Don Bailey, WVDOT’s liaison to BHJ, noted crews recently completed work to widen the intersection of Freedom Way and W.Va. 2 to improve the turning radius for large trucks, particularly for those bound for the Veterans Memorial Bridge. And BHJ staff members have been considering various strategies to ease the flow of traffic near the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Ohio 7 and University Boulevard.

In related business, Brown said officials with the West Virginia Department of Transportation have interviewed a handful of engineering consultants interested in performing a study to determine the exact site for the proposed new bridge and are negotiating with their preferred choice. Brown said WVDOT hopes to begin the study in June or July.

The study will be funded from $18 million secured by U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., for the planning, design and initial construction of the proposed span.

It’s expected to evaluate such conditions as whether the bridge’s construction or establishment would comply with federal and state environmental regulations set forth by the Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act and others.

A BHJ committee of public officials and community members from the three counties in 2003 determined the most beneficial and feasible site for the proposed span would be from W.Va. 2 in an area south of Wellsburg to Ohio 7 near Brilliant.

The general location was among several evaluated by the Charleston engineering firm of Kelcey and Edwards for such factors as estimated costs for the span, environmental impact, response time for emergency vehicles and potential for economic development.

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