The Hughes Bridge carries US Route 19 and WV Route 41 over the Gauley River and Summersville Lake near Summersville, West Virginia.
History
Hughes Ferry
Hughes Ferry was situated to the south of Summersville. It held the distinction of being the first ferry to operate across the Gauley River within Nicholas County. 5 The establishment initially belonged to William McClung and his family until operations ceased in 1903 when the county constructed a truss bridge over the river at the ferry site at a cost of $7,200.
The ferry’s location was strategic. 3 7 It was along the Wilderness Road, a route that connected Summersville with the James River & Kanawha Turnpike, Gauley Bridge, Fayetteville, and Lewisburg.
Hughes Ferry Bridge
The Summersville Reservoir (later known as Summersville Lake) project was approved for construction under the Flood Control Act of 1938. 8 Its main purpose was to control and prevent flooding in the Gauley and Kanawha River watersheds.
In 1941, there were discussions about replacing the old bridge at Hughes Ferry. 8 However, due to the outbreak of World War II, plans to replace the bridge or construct the lake were postponed. 4
Between 1947 and 1949, US Route 19 underwent changes. It was rerouted to provide a direct connection between Beckley and Summersville, which also involved sharing its route with WV Route 41. 1 The previous alignment of US Route 19, which went through Fayetteville to Gauley Bridge, was retained as part of US Route 21 and subsequently became WV Route 16. Meanwhile, the stretch from Gauley River to Summersville was incorporated into an extended WV Route 39.
Following World War II, when efforts resumed to replace the Hughes Ferry Bridge, there were significant developments in the vicinity. 4 Two major coal mines had opened in the Panther Creek area upstream. Concurrently, the United States Army Corps of Engineers put forth a proposal to construct a dam at Hughes Ferry. This dam was intended to manage and prevent flooding in the watershed areas of the Gauley and Kanawha rivers. However, the proposed dam had its challenges. If it were to be built at Hughes Ferry, the local mining industry would suffer the loss of 200 to 300 jobs. Furthermore, coal reserves valued at $4.5 million would have to be purchased and consequently lost.
The outbreak of the Korean War created further delays. Both the bridge replacement and the dam construction were put on hold. 4 By 1950, a decision was made, and the State Road Commission took the initiative to replace the old Hughes Ferry Bridge. The new structure, built with modern steel and concrete materials, came at a cost of $350,000.
As for the dam, in 1955, the Army Corps of Engineers revisited the idea and started to look for alternative sites for its construction. 4 By 1957, they settled on Rucker Bend as the ideal location. This decision raised concerns because the newly built Hughes Ferry Bridge was in the path of the proposed dam reservoir and risked being submerged under a deep 90-foot layer of water.
Summersville Lake
In February 1960, the construction of Summersville Lake began under the supervision of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. 8 By 1966, the construction was successfully completed, and the dam was inaugurated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3 of that year.
At the time of its completion, the Summersville Lake Dam stood out for its size. Measuring 390 feet in height and spanning 2,280 feet in length, it was recognized as the second-largest rock-fill dam in the eastern United States. Furthermore, Summersville Lake held the distinction of being the largest lake in the state, covering an area of 2,700 acres with over 60 miles of shoreline when at its summer pool level.
The creation of Summersville Lake brought with it the need for infrastructural changes. As a result, US Route 19 and WV Route 41 had to undergo rerouting between Mt. Nebo and Summersville with 4.5 miles 8 of a new two-lane highway at an elevation at or above 1,710 feet above sea level. 4
The project included the construction of a Warren deck truss bridge over the Gauley River and the forthcoming Summersville Lake which was erected by the Foster & Creighton Company of Nashville, Tennessee, at the cost of $3,497,424. 8 It was opened to traffic following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 1, 1964. 9 Participating in the ceremony were Col. Harrington W. Cochran, the Huntington District Engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, a representative of the State Road Commission, and officials of the town of Summersville and the Nicholas County High School band.
The new bridge was measured at 1,395 feet in length with a roadway deck 28 feet wide, and a height 250 feet above the bed of the Gauley River, and 280 feet above the rock bottom of the main piers. 9 Although the Four-Mile Bridge and the Bluestone Bridge on the non-state-maintained West Virginia Turnpike were taller, this bridge was recognized as the highest in the state-maintained road system. The location of the new bridge was directly over the original Hughes Ferry and the circa 1903 bridge. As a result, the crossing was informally named the Hughes Bridge in honor of the ferry operator who once worked at that site. 6
Corridor L
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was established in 1965 as a partnership between the federal government and the 13 Appalachian states to help revitalize the region. One of its major initiatives was the development of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which aimed to provide better access to areas within the region and spur economic growth.
For West Virginia, Corridor L was defined as a corridor between Interstate 77 in Beckley and Interstate 79 near Sutton, roughly tracing the path of US Routes 19 and 21. Notably, it would encompass the Oak Hill bypass built around 1965 and a segment connecting Mt. Nebo to Summersville, completed in 1963. 3
The construction for the entirety of Corridor L started in 1969 2 and was finalized in 1978. 3 Upon completion, it was signed as US Route 19, which had been approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHO) in November 1970. 1 By 1980, an additional one-mile spur to the West Virginia Turnpike was finished. 3 The stretch from this Turnpike to US Route 60 at Hico was developed as a four-lane road. However, between Hico and Interstate 79, Corridor L initially had two lanes but was built on land set aside for four lanes. This included the pre-existing segment of US Route 19 between Mt. Nebo and Summersville. Notably, the Summersville bypass was constructed with four lanes. 2
Corridor L, and US Route 19, gained rapid popularity among drivers. 2 Many used it as a detour to avoid Charleston and a section of the toll-requiring West Virginia Turnpike. Taking Corridor L saved travelers almost an hour compared to using Interstates 77 and 79. Recognizing the increasing traffic, efforts to expand Corridor L, making it four lanes all the way between Hico and Interstate 79, commenced in 1990. 10 That’s when the state announced it would spend $38.8 million to widen the remaining two-lane segments of Corridor L to four lanes. It would be paid from the state Parkways, Economic Development & Tourism Authority’s payback to the state for widening the West Virginia Turnpike.
Projects associated with Corridor L initially had a deadline of either 1993 or 1994. 10 This was due to a stipulation regarding Turnpike reimbursement funds, which required them to be utilized within a five-year period. Senator Robert C. Byrd was able to obtain additional federal funds. 14 In June, the expansion of Corridor L commenced with the segment from Airport Road (County Route 19/32) and Irish Corner Road (County Route 41/1). 10
The original Hughes Bridge underwent renovations in 1990 at a cost of $3.8 million. 11
In 1991, the Battle Ridge Company from Charleston started construction on the substructure of a companion Hughes Bridge, meant to accommodate northbound traffic for US Route 19. 12 15 The $4.5 million project was completed in December 1992. 15 Following that, the C. J. Mahan Construction Company from Grove City, Ohio, began work on the superstructure after securing a contract valued at $7.66 million. The new northbound Hughes Bridge was completed at the cost of $13.7 million and dedicated by Governor Gaston Caperton, Senator Robert C. Byrd, and Representative Bob Wise on November 1, 1994. 13 14
The entire Corridor L expansion project was completed in 1996. 3
In 2000, the informally named Hughes Bridge was officially named after the Hughes family by the West Virginia State Legislature. 6
Gallery
Information
- State: West Virginia
- Route: US Route 19, WV Route 41
- Type: Warren Deck Truss
- Status: Active - Automobile
- Total Length: 1,395' (1964); 1,485' (1994)
- Main Span Length: 399' (1964)
- Deck Width: 37.2' (1964); 35' (1994)
- Roadway Width: 28.7' (1964); 32' (1994)
- Total Height: 250' (1964)
Sources
- “US 19.” Virginia Highways Project, 23 Jul. 2022.
- Prince, Adam. “Corridor L – West Virginia’s Gateway to Adventure.” Gribblenation, 31 Jan. 2017.
- “APD Appalachian Highways.” West Virginia Department of Transportation.
- “Nicholas Dam Will Require Relocation Of Some Homes.” Beckley Post-Herald, 9 Dec. 1957, p. 1.
- “Hughes Ferry / Bridge.” The Historical Marker Database, 9 Jun. 2020.
- “HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 31.” West Virginia State Legislature, 2000.
- Rice, Otis K., and Stephen W. Brown. “Closing the Ring.” West Virginia: A History, University Press of Kentucky, 1993, p. 128.
- Ripley, Opal. “Summersville Dam Construction Proceeding On Schedule.” Beckley Post-Herald and Raleigh Register, 18 Aug. 1963, p. 11.
- “Summersville Span Opened.” Raleigh Register, 1 Jul. 1964, p. 1.
- Bowling, Brian. “Funds released for Corridor L, other projects.” Register-Herald, 10 Apr. 1990, pp. 1A-10A.
- Bowling, Brian. “Plan for U.S. 19 nears completion.” Register-Herald, 29 Nov. 1990, p. 9A.
- Hambrick, Sharon K. “DOH: U.S. 19 upgrade will be a slow process.” Register-Herald, 30 Dec. 1991, p. 1A.
- “Road to be opened officially.” Register-Herald, 30 Oct. 1994, p. 8B.
- Porterfield, Mannix. “Improved road, credited to Byrd, a triumph for Summersville area.” Register-Herald, 2 Nov. 1994, pp. 1A-14A.
- Hambrick, Sharon K. “U.S. 19 drives slowly toward four-lane status.” Register-Herald, 26 Sept. 1993, p. 5.