Talking new bridge

John Brown, left, discussed the proposed Ohio River crossing site south of Wellsburg during an information workshop public meeting held Monday evening at Jefferson Community College. The Ohio Department of Transportation, West Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are initiating environmental and design studies for a new Ohio River crossing as a followup to the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission’s regional bridge system study phase II final report. Interested area residents and government officials were asked to attend the meeting to offer comments. Looking over the proposed site are Jim Rinaldo of Toronto, center, and David Lalich, Steubenville 6th Ward councilman. Three more public meetings are planned: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Brooke High School; 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Weirton Millsop Community Center; and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Buckeye North Junior High School in Brilliant. - Christina Kelley