Parkersburg, West Virginia Area Bridges

Despite having lived along the Ohio River for much of my youth, I neglected to photograph many of the historic spans along the Ohio River. I’ve tried making up for that over the summer, and while in Parkersburg, West Virginia and Marietta, Ohio on business over the summer, I ventured down the Ohio to compile photographs of bridges that I’ve missed over the years.

I began at the two year old Pomeroy-Mason Bridge, which carries Ohio State Route 833 over the Ohio River between Pomeroy, Ohio and Mason, West Virginia. Opened in 2009, the four-lane cable-stayed bridge replaced a narrow two-lane 1928 Cantilever. The new bridge features a total span length of 1,850 feet – nearly identical to the old bridge. It is a shame that I did not photograph the old span while it still existed.

While the new bridge is certainly an operational and structural improvement over the old bridge, I question the need for four lanes when there is development and two-lane roads on both sides of the river.

To the north of Pomeroy is the Ravenswood Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 33 over the Ohio River. The super-two freeway connects Pomeroy to Ravenswood, West Virginia and Interstate 77. The span was completed in 1981 and was designated Ohio State Route 824, and was designed to connect U.S. Route 33 at Interstate 77 to a relocated U.S. Route 33 in Meigs County. But the super-two freeway was not completed until late 2003. For over two decades, this was literally the “bridge to nowhere.”

The completion of the super-two U.S. Route 33 freeway from Pomeroy to Ravenswood in December 2003 and the Athens to Darwin super-two in October 2004 has created a high-speed corridor from Interstate 270 in Columbus, Ohio to Interstate 77 at Ravenswood.

I then ventured to Parkersburg, and captured two dreary photographs of the Parkersburg-Belpre Bridge, a traditional four-lane Cantilever that opened to traffic in 1980. It carries Ohio State Route 618 from Belpre, Ohio to Parkersburg over the Ohio River and replaced the unique steel-wire suspension bridge.

The new span cannot hold a candle to the former. But without digressing, I hopped over to the modern Memorial Bridge, which was one of two bridges planned at that site. A parallel span, to take U.S. Route 50 traffic eastbound, was to connect to the North Parkersburg bypass that was never completed. It only took over 50 years to have a southern bypass finished: the Blennerhassett Bridge. That bypass, which opened in 2009, greatly improved traffic flow for Parkersburg, and offers a true high-speed highway around the city for U.S. Route 50 travelers, and links with the Ohio State Route 32 freeway and Corridor D.

Crossing the Little Kanawha River at the junction with the Ohio River just southwest of downtown Parkersburg is the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad crossing. Noted as the city’s second railroad span, work began on the original 300-foot iron truss in 1883, and was completed four years later for the Ohio River Railroad. The railroad connected Parkersburg south towards Pt. Pleasant, and was elevated over Ann Street, serving the city via the Ann Street Station at Second Street.

In 1924, the original iron truss was replaced with steel. Below is a postcard view showing the original truss design of the bridge.

A 1950 view, showing a simple truss design.

I finished off the trip with a visit to the Sternwheel Festival in Marietta, Ohio. I managed to squeeze in two photographs of the Williamstown Bridge, which formerly carried U.S. Route 21 over the Ohio River between Williamstown, West Virginia and Marietta. The first span at that location was built in 1903, and was the first inland cantilever highway span in the United States. It was demolished in 1988 in favor of a new continuous truss bridge that was finished four years later.

I managed to even catch a glimpse of the Interstate 77 crossing of the Ohio River! The Polygonal Warren through truss span was completed in 1965 and was rehabilitated in 2009.

Further Reading

• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Little Kanawha River Bridge: The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s Little Kanawha River Bridge was Parkersburg’s second railroad span. Work began on the 300-foot truss in 1883 and was completed in 1887.
• Interstate 77 Ohio River Bridge
• Memorial Bridge: The Memorial Bridge is a toll bridge between Belpre, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia. It was once proposed to be part of a U.S. Route 50 bypass of Parkersburg.
• Parkersburg-Belpre Bridge (OH 618): The Parkersburg-Bepre Bridge carries Ohio State Route 618 between Belpre, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia across the Ohio River.
• Pomeroy-Mason Bridge (OH 833):  The Pomeroy-Mason Bridge connects Pomeroy, Ohio to Mason, West Virginia over the Ohio River and carries Ohio State Route 833. It formerly carried U.S. Route 33.
• Ravenswood Bridge (US 33): The Ravenswood Bridge carries U.S. Route 33 over the Ohio River between Ravenswood, West Virginia and Ohio and was originally designated Ohio State Route 824.
• Williamstown Bridge: The Williamstown Bridge connects Williamstown, West Virginia to Marietta, Ohio over the Ohio River. It formerly carried U.S. Route 21.