T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA The Blaine Hill Bridge which has been closed since August 2024 will now be started to be reconstructed in 2025.

BLAINE — The rehabilitation of the Blaine Hill Bridge, originally scheduled to begin in 2027, will now begin sometime this summer, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

ODOT announced that it will hire a contractor in April and construction will begin early this summer. The bridge is scheduled to reopen to traffic by the summer of 2026.

“We know how important this bridge is to the community. Our goal has always been to reopen the bridge as quickly as possible. Our team has worked tirelessly to find a better solution and we are excited to share this update with the community,” said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn.

The bridge has been closed since this past August. ODOT originally closed just one lane of traffic in July due to bridge deterioration, but ODOT and the Ohio State Highway Patrol began receiving reports of drivers traveling west in the open eastbound lanes. ODOT said that led to several close calls that forced the department to completely shut down the bridge in early August.

An inspection of the bridge last week showed even further deterioration of several critical components of the bridge, even with traffic completely restricted. The bridge is part of the U.S. 40 route through Belmont County.

Work originally was to begin on the bridge in 2027, which frustrated local residents who hoped the bridge would open sooner.

Earlier this month, ODOT announced construction was moved up to early 2026. Then came Thursday’s announcement of a 2025 start.

ODOT District 11 spokeswoman Lauren Borell said that due to the project’s current state of development, ODOT was able to take the opportunity to streamline some of the processes such as expediting the environmental assessments and project’s estimations.

“These are all things that are part of the normal routine process for projects but for this one we were at the stage where we could accelerate those things to get ready to sell here in April,” Borell said.

Ohio Rep. Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville, said he had been working on behalf of Belmont County residents to accelerate the process.

“I’m pleased that through our efforts we’ve moved up the timeline to begin work from 2027 to 2025,” he said.

Ohio State Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta, lauded ODOT’s diligence in speeding up the project’s timeline.

“I am grateful for the Ohio Department of Transportation and District 11 understanding residents’ concerns to accelerate this project without compromising safety and quality work all while preserving the bridge’s historic landmark status,” he said. “It is crucial to improve our state’s infrastructure to make Ohioans’ commutes secure and efficient without neglecting safety.”

ODOT Press Secretary Matt Bruning added that ODOT has heard the concerns of the residents who have been affected by this bridge closure.

“We’ve heard the concerns of the public and we share and understand those concerns. You get that with any kind of a project that you’re closing a roadway. The difference is usually you can give people a heads up so they can prepare for the closure, but this was pretty abrupt and we understand that,” Bruning said. “We’ve heard those concerns and our team has been working since the beginning to try and find ways to accelerate this. The public feedback is important but our group of engineers, designers, and project experts have been trying to get this project shortened since day one and they will continue that. We know how important this bridge is to this community and we want to get it reopened as soon as we can.”

He added that although the project has been moved up to begin in summer of 2025 it will still be a 12 month project with the projected end date being summer of 2026.

Design work has been underway for several months and those efforts will continue as ODOT works to bring on a contractor and begin repairs on the historic structure. The project work includes removing the existing deck, replacing 400 box beams and the decorative concrete railing on the bridge, and making repairs to the support columns.

The project has an estimated cost of $13.52 million.

Preserving the 1932 bridge’s historical value while modernizing its function is critical to the project. The project will integrate durable materials such as advanced concrete sealants and resilient design elements that extend the bridge’s lifespan and protect its architectural integrity. These decisions will align with broader regional goals of maintaining vital infrastructure while respecting historic preservation.

Until then, the bridge will remain completely closed. The further deterioration of the bridge has made it too dangerous to use currently, according to ODOT officials.

“Allowing traffic back on the bridge would risk a collapse that could take lives and lead to a much longer closure of this critical community connection,” said ODOT District 11 Deputy Director Tom Corey. “That’s why accelerating the timeline even more for the rehabilitation project was so important to our team.”