Projected timeline for Market Street Bridge replacement | News, Sports, Vacancies

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE — Mike Paprocki, executive director of the Brook-Hancock-Jefferson City Planning Commission, explained the estimated construction timeline for the proposed new span to replace the Market Street Bridge at a BHJ executive board meeting Wednesday. — Warren Scott

STEBENVILLE — Brook-Hancock-Jefferson City Planning Commission chief said funds to replace the Market Street Bridge must be spent by 2032, subject to an $87.5 million federal grant for the project.

On Wednesday, BHJ Executive Director Mike Paprocki told the commission’s executive board that the West Virginia Department of Transportation has allocated $52.5 million from the state’s regular federal transportation allocation and $35 million from its own funds to meet the 100 percent match required for the grant.

Paprocki said money from a federal grant awarded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program must be committed to the project by Sept. 30, 2027, and expended by Sept. 30, 2032.

He said the funds are pending federal agency review and approval of a study of the project’s location and environmental impact, which could take 12 to 18 months.

Paprocki said WVDOT has advertised for a consultant to conduct the study, which has been allocated $1.8 million.

He said the allocation and matching of the federal grant indicates a strong commitment from WVDOT.

“In my opinion, this is a good faith action on the part of the West Virginia Department of Transportation,” Paprocki said.

Planning for the Wellsburg Bridge, which opened Sept. 20, 2023, took several years, including three years of environmental impact studies.

Paprocki predicted that the next bridge study would require more funding, but said it should not be as extensive as that required for the Wellsburg Bridge, for which several potential sites were being considered.

He said alternative locations could be considered for the Market Street Bridge replacement, but he doesn’t expect them to be too far north or south of the current span.

“Washington Street may be one of them, but we don’t know at this point,” Paprocki said, noting a Steubenville location that was considered during initial planning leading to the Wellsburg Bridge.

He noted that during initial planning for the span, it was considered as a replacement for the aging Market Street Bridge.

The Market Street Bridge, now 119 years old, was closed Dec. 21 after inspectors found significant damage to its support cables.

But Paprocki said the idea of ​​the Wellsburg Bridge becoming a replacement for Market Street was dropped as planning continued, and one West Virginia Highway Department official said the two bridges would be “separated” moving forward.

Asked whether demolition of the Market Street Bridge would be included in the project, he said: “Absolutely. It (the new bridge) could go right where the Market Street bridge is.”

Paprocki said state Sen. Ryan Weld, a Wellsburg Republican, arranged a meeting between BHJ and WVDOT officials at which state highway officials asked for an engineering study of the new bridge to be added to BHJ’s transportation improvement plan.

Transportation projects in the three counties must be included in the plan to be eligible for federal funding.

On Wednesday, Paprocki told commissioners from both sides of the Ohio River: “Our part of this process is to get this amendment (to the plan) passed so we can get started,” he said before the commission voted to include it.

Jefferson County Engineer Jim Branagan asked if the Ohio Department of Transportation is involved in the project.

“Not now,” Paprocki replied.

But he added that BHJ has initiated a traffic study that will evaluate the impact of closing the Market Street Bridge while analyzing the location of traffic lights in downtown Steubenville.

Paprocki said Columbus-based Strand Associates conducted traffic counts for the study, which includes 13 intersections along Third, Fourth, Seventh, Adams and North streets and in the area of ​​Logan Street.

He said the study will take into account traffic volumes, public transport use, cyclists and pedestrians; security issues and other factors.

It was funded by a $136,360 grant from BHJ and funds allocated by ODOT.

Also Wednesday, the commission heard from Brady Vannest of the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s planning division, who said crews will be installing new LED bulbs on street lights near the Weirton exits on U.S. Highway 22.

David Kline, a member of the Panhandle Trail committee, said new lighting near the Harmon Creek exit will also provide more light to the trail’s parking lot.

Today’s latest news and more in your inbox.