West Huntington Bridge Explained

West Huntington Bridge
Crosses:Ohio River
Locale:Huntington, West Virginia and Burlington, Ohio
Official Name:Nick Joe Rahall II Bridge
Maint:West Virginia Department of Transportation
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The West Huntington Bridge (officially named the Nick Joe Rahall II Bridge, also called the West End Bridge or the 17th Street West Bridge) is a two-lane, 562feet cantilever bridge on the west side of Huntington, West Virginia, United States. It crosses the Ohio River and carries U.S. Route 52 between Ohio State Route 7 and Interstate 64.

Background

The bridge was completed in 1968 at the cost of $5.2 million as part of the West Huntington Expressway. [1]

West Virginia Route 94 was signed on this bridge until 1984 when U.S. Route 52 was diverted on to a new route with Interstate 64. In 1999, the bridge was closed to traffic for refurbishing, which included a new driving surface, barriers and a green paint scheme. On May 9, 1999, the bridge was reopened and subsequently dedicated to Nick Joe Rahall, the then-congressman for the 3rd District of West Virginia.[2] It was the first public works project to bear his name.

The bridge can also be seen in the closing scene of the 2006 biopic We Are Marshall. A female character is seen traveling across the bridge, going into Ohio from Huntington.

See also

Further reading

References

38.4131°N -82.4864°W

Notes and References

  1. News: December 7, 1968. No Soul, No Toll, Say Drivers. 7. Chillicothe Gazette.
  2. Redekopp, Christina. "West End bridge bears name of Rep. Nick Rahall." Herald-Dispatch [Huntington] May 9, 1999. Jan. 2, 2007.