|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
Market Street Bridge |
Suspension |
Market Street |
Jefferson County, OH / Brooke County, WV |
Steubenville, OH and East Steubenville, WV |
Ohio River and Highway |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Construction Date |
Rehabilitation Date |
Structure Length | Roadway Width | Navigational Vertical Underclearance |
| 1905 | 1981 | 1794 Feet | 20.7 Feet | 73.8 Feet |
| Total Suspended Length | Center Suspension Span Length | Approach Suspension Span Length | Number Approach Suspension Spans | Builder |
| 1200 Feet | 680 Feet | 260 Feet | 2 | Ohio Steel Erection Company |
This bridge was built in 1905 originally to carry light rail traffic. In 1922, the top chord of the bridge failed, and David Steinman (later engineer for Mackinac Bridge) designed repairs for the bridge that also increased its load-bearing capacity. The bridge which had apparantly been owned by a private entity called the "Steubenville Bridge Company" was bought by the state of West Virginia in 1941, who then made repairs to the towers and replaced the deck. The bridge was also apparently a toll bridge until 1953.
Some or all of the steel on the bridge was fabricated by Bethlehem Steel, as indicated by the stamp I found.
While I have not heard the direct discussion of demolishing this bridge as I have for the Fort Steuben Bridge, I have no reason to believe that the Market Street Bridge is safe from the ruthless ODOT and WVDOT. The bridge's paint is slowly fading back to the primer, and the weight limit is rather low. Like the Fort Steuben Bridge, this structure is only falling apart because its owners have allowed it to. Properly maintained in the past, or totally restored today, this bridge could continue to safely carry traffic for decades to come. If a bridge as old as the Brooklyn Bridge can do its job in busy New York City, than this bridge, properly repaired, should be able to do the same here in the much quieter Ohio River valley. But until I can learn otherwise, I have listed this bridge as in danger. The State of Ohio is noted for spotty hit-or-miss historic bridge preservation, and although I have explored little of West Virginia, I have learned about many doomed bridges in the state, and only the Wheeling Suspension Bridge as a preservation example. If they are demolishing the Fort Steuben Bridge, I can only assume that Market Street will be in their crosshairs afterwards. It is both frustrating and sad to see such a beautiful area of the Ohio River being wiped of the centerpieces of that beauty.
