T-L File Photo/GAGE VOTA Signage is posted at the bottom of the Blaine Hill bridge to inform drivers that the bridge is completely closed.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Times Leader presents a look back at the past year this week with Eastern Ohio’s Top 10 stories of 2024, as selected by the newspaper’s editorial staff.

IN JULY, the Ohio Department of Transportation restricted traffic on the Blaine Hill Bridge after the span showed structural issues that caused concern.

ODOT initially closed the westbound lanes of the span on U.S. 40 “out of an abundance of caution” while working to address structural deficiencies. Soon, though, ODOT and the Ohio State Highway Patrol received multiple reports of drivers either not understanding or not obeying the posted signs and traveling west in the open eastbound lanes. This reportedly led to several close calls that could have caused life-threatening traffic collisions.

As a result, ODOT closed the bridge to all traffic on Aug. 5. Drivers headed both east and west have since been forced to use Interstate 70 between Marion Street in Bridgeport and Belmont County Road 214 east of St. Clairsville.

Built in 1932, ODOT noted that the reinforced concrete bridge consists of four “iconic arch spans” over Wheeling Creek that rise above the first Blaine Hill Bridge. That three-arch span was constructed in 1828 as part of the National Road, which was the nation’s first federally funded highway. According to The Historical Marker Database, the original S-shaped structure is 345 feet in length and is the longest original “S” bridge in existence on the old National Road. That first-generation bridge made the 500-foot westward climb out of the Ohio River Valley easier for pioneers who were opening up the West.

The S-bridge deteriorated but was saved from demolition in 1999. In 2001, it was designated Ohio’s official Bicentennial Bridge.

Also known as the “Blaine Hill Viaduct” and the “Arches of Memory,” the 1930s bridge is dedicated to World War I veterans and represents the middle era of east-west highway travel through the local region. Much of the traffic it once carried between the 1930s and 1960s has traveled along the adjacent Interstate 70 since that highway opened in the area in 1964.

Residents of communities such as Blaine, Wolfhurst, Barton and Bridgeport have expressed that the closure is a major inconvenience for people who used National Road to reach St. Clairsville and points further west. Nearby businesses have also reported that the closure has impacted their bottom lines.

The Ohio Department of Transportation announced in November that its Blaine Hill Arches of Memory Rehabilitation Project will rebuild the historic U.S. 40 bridge in Belmont County. According to ODOT, the project will include enhancements to the structural integrity of the span. The superstructure will be replaced, but the bridge’s historical character will be maintained.

Design plans for the viaduct rehabilitation project are in development. Michael Baker International is the firm designing it. ODOT anticipates construction to begin by 2027 but is actively working with the design firm to accelerate plan development.

ODOT District 11 Deputy Director Tom Corey said, “ODOT prioritizes safety above all else. We recognize that the closure is inconvenient for those living and working in the area and are making every effort to expedite the project. We want to ensure this work keeps this vital bridge in service to our community for decades to come.”

The estimated construction cost of the project is $11.2 million.

Earlier this month, residents appealed to the Belmont County Board of Commissioners, asking members to approach ODOT about speeding up the bridge repair.

“We put a little committee together concerning the Blaine bridge and have been in contact with the state rep and the senator’s office trying to get some support from them. We are here today to ask for your support,” Barton resident Jeff Gazdik said. “We’re not happy with waiting four or five years for this to be completed. If this was in Cleveland, Columbus or Cincinnati, there wouldn’t be this long of a wait.”

He added that he’s aware that the commissioners do not have any control over the bridge, but he believes support from the commissioners would go a long way.

“We were told that the bridge was shut down because people weren’t following the one-way direction. If the bridge is safe enough, which we don’t know if there’s been any tests or studies done but safety is number one — we don’t want to put anyone on that bridge if it’s not safe,” Gazdik said. “If the bridge is safe enough for traffic, can we consider traffic lights until the work can start on the bridge?”

He added that a petition was started to reopen one lane of the bridge until the construction begins. It had received over 1,000 signatures from Belmont County residents.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann replied that the commissioners met with ODOT representatives on another matter but had been informed that the bridge is unsafe for vehicles. He added that he believes ODOT is aware of the concerns and also wants to expedite the process.