Weirton Council supports South Street option for Market Street Bridge replacement

WEIRTON - Weirton Council is joining the list of governmental entities promoting the option of a river crossing leading from Steubenville’s South Street as the best replacement for the Market Street Bridge.

Council voted unanimously Tuesday on a resolution supporting the option - known as Alternative 5 - for the construction of a new bridge connecting South Street to West Virginia’s Route 2, at a point located between the existing Market Street Bridge and Archer Hill Road.

Mike Paprocki, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, was called upon by Mayor Dean Harris to speak on the issue prior to council’s vote.

Paprocki explained the importance of having a secondary bridge crossing, explaining the Veterans Memorial Bridge - now the only available crossing between Weirton and Steubenville - sees 5,400 area residents use it daily.

"That’s 10% of our workforce," Paprocki said, adding the span is used by residents from the three local counties, adjacent counties, and those visiting the area, making it a primary corridor for traffic.

Of the initial seven alternatives proposed for the project through hearings conducted in May by the BHJ, HDR Inc., and the West Virginia Department of Transportation, multiple cities, counties, and officials are pointing to South Street as their preferred alternative.

In information released by BHJ in August, the South Street alternative would have an estimated cost of $177,542,000, and has favorable roadway grades from Ohio Route 7 and the Third Street intersection in Steubenville. It also is the preferred option of the U.S. Coast Guard, providing an 800-foot horizontal navigation clearance on the Ohio River.

"We do believe South Street gives us the best flexibility," Paprocki said. "Charleston and Columbus need to hear us and how we feel."

Officials have pointed to the need for a new bridge as a safety concern.

Weirton City Manager Mike Adams confirmed there have been multiple fatalities resulting from vehicle crashes on or near the bridge in recent years, many taking place within established construction zones.

Reinforcing the need for another connection, Paprocki explained there are plans for eight more closures of the Veterans Memorial Bridge in the coming months, as crews address needed maintenance on the 36-year-old structure.

"It is vitally important we have another avenue," Paprocki said.

Adams confirmed the pending closures, noting he currently has no information on exact dates or times.

"I believe it’s going to be mostly at night," Adams said, explaining, as with last weekend’s closures, the scheduling is an effort to reduce disruption to local traffic.

The Market Street Bridge was closed to traffic in December 2023 after routine inspections identified continuing deterioration in some of the bridge's cable anchorages.

According to timelines presented by the West Virginia Department of Transportation, engineering and environmental work for the replacement project should continue through 2027, with the development of contract plans and rights-of-way acquisitions running through 2028, and construction potentially being complete sometime in 2031.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)