Glenville Truss Bridge

The Glenville Truss Bridge carries US Routes 33 and 119 over the Little Kanawha River in Glenville, West Virginia.

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In 1885, the first crossing of the Little Kanawha River in Glenville was erected by Stewart, Shirreffs & Company, located along Court Street. In adherence to the Good Roads Amendment of 1920, the state initiated a project to construct a state route connecting Normanville, Glenville, and Lynn. This endeavor involved the erection of a new two-lane bridge over the Little Kanawha River in Glenville, alongside the replacement of bridges and culverts, as well as the alleviation of steep grades and sharp curves on other stretches of the route. ¹

Subsequently, in 1926, the existing state route was replaced by the establishment of US Route 33 through Glenville. A new two-lane bridge over the Little Kanawha River was built along Lewis Street in Glenville in 1929. It featured two 10-foot lanes and a five-foot sidewalk, a significant improvement over the one-lane Court Street Bridge upstream. ^{2 3}

In 1934, US Route 119 was extended along US Route 33 from Morgantown into Kentucky, passing through Glenville.

In 2022, the West Virginia Department of Highways (WVDOH) commenced plans for the replacement of the Glenville Truss Bridge, due to its aging structure exhibiting rust, spalling, and collision damage, resulting in weight restrictions and the requirement for only one truck or bus to cross the bridge at a time. ²

The WVDOH considered various build and no-build alternatives to meet the project requirements, ultimately opting for a preferred alternative with an estimated cost of $12.6 million. ² This alternative entails the construction of a steel plate girder bridge, spanning an overall length of 353 feet and offering a clear roadway width of 32 feet, incorporating two 12-foot travel lanes, two four-foot shoulders, and a sidewalk of nearly six feet. During construction, a temporary bridge will be erected downstream, while the existing bridge will be removed and replaced. Construction is slated to commence in mid-2025, with completion anticipated by mid-2026.

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Details

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Sources

1. Inspection of highway plans from the West Virginia Department of Highways.
2. “Glenville Truss Bridge Project.” West Virginia Department of Transportation, 2023.
3. Chapman, Terry K. “New Bridge.” State of West Virginia Historic Preservation Unit, 23 Aug. 1984.