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Monday afternoon's sudden closure of the Jennings Randolph Bridge, which connects East Liverpool and Chester, took many residents of the Tri-State Area and the traveling public by surprise.
According to an announcement from the West Virginia Department of Transportation, a safety inspection of the structure, which wrapped up lengthy repairs only a year ago, discovered an issue in need of repair.
Some have estimated the closure could be three weeks, but the transportation department has said it is "indefinite," meaning motorists will have to use other avenues of travel for the foreseeable future. Depending on what side of the Ohio River you are on, suggested detours would bring the majority of drivers to either Steubenville or Weirton to use the Veterans Memorial Bridge or the Market Street Bridge.
Another option just a few miles south would be the recently opened Wellsburg-Brilliant Bridge.
For those not wanting to go as far, there is the option of the Wayne Six Toll Bridge. Previously known as the Newell Toll Bridge, the span charges $1 per vehicle, but does not allow larger vehicles, including the tractor-trailers that are critical to nearby industrial operations.
To the north, there is the option of crossing using the Shippingport Bridge.
We understand this will be a major inconvenience for many, which is compounded by not knowing for certain how long this closure will last.
What could be of greater concern is that this is not the first recent bridge closure that has been sprung on our region with very little notice. In September, the Market Street Bridge was closed for five days for what was described as inspection and maintenance work.
When the bridge reopened, its weight limit had been reduced to 3 tons, and the maximum height for vehicles was cut to 7 feet, 6 inches.
The timing of that closure, which started on Sept. 11, came just days before the Wellsburg-Brilliant Bridge opened on Sept. 20.
All of this shows the importance of proper maintenance of our infrastructure, especially in a region like ours, where the economy and the ability to access goods and services is highly dependent on having an easy way to cross the river. Area residents rely on bridges for their work, education, shopping, convenient access to Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh proper and more.
That's why it's encouraging that officials with the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Regional Planning Commission have started the process of applying for federal money that would help to cover a portion of the cost of replacing the 117-year-old Market Street Bridge either where it stands or just a little farther north at the foot of Washington Street in Steubenville.
The need is critical: Mike Paprocki, executive director of BHJ, told members of the Brooke County Commission during their Nov. 14 meeting that reports from the inspections of the span performed by WVDOT "don't look flattering."
Bridges are an integral part of our communities, and whether it is the 46-year-old Jennings Randolph Bridge, the 33-year-old Veterans Memorial Bridge, the new Wellsburg Bridge, Market Street Bridge or a new bridge, proper planning and maintenance is necessary to keep them operational for as long as possible.