| Bridge Name: | Aetnaville Bridge | ||||||||||||||||
| Designer: | Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Design: | Pin-connected Pennsylvania through truss;[2] Parker truss configuration | ||||||||||||||||
| Material: | steel | ||||||||||||||||
| Spans: | 4 spans | ||||||||||||||||
| Mainspan: | 110feet | ||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 440feet | ||||||||||||||||
| Traffic: | pedestrian only | ||||||||||||||||
| Begin: | 1890 | ||||||||||||||||
| Complete: | 1891 | ||||||||||||||||
| Closed: | 1988 | ||||||||||||||||
| Extra: |
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The Aetnaville Bridge is a through truss bridge spanning the back channel of the Ohio River between Bridgeport, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia. The bridge was built in December 1891 and used for vehicular traffic until December 1988, when it was closed to cars due to safety concerns. The structure was used by pedestrians until its complete closure in 2016.
During the late 1800's and early 1900's, the bridge was used for streetcars until service ceased in 1937.[4] The bridge is now used mostly as a way for pedestrians, bicyclists, and joggers, to cross without having to go all the way around to the new Bridgeport Bridge.[5] The bridge was closed from October 19 to 23, 2015, to be evaluated for safety. Local residents are fighting to save this bridge, because it is a popular pedestrian footwalk, and part of a proposed bicycle and jogging trail.[6] As of January 20, 2016, there have been metal fences barricading the bridge pending further decision-making as to how to proceed with possible repairs .