Why do We Need a New Bridge? There are currently 3 opportunities to cross the Ohio River within the BHJ region. Pictured above from Left to Right are: the Market Street Bridge, the Fort Steuben Bridge, and the Veterans Memorial Bridge.
The Fort Steuben Bridge (constructed in 1928) and the Martket Street Bridge (constructed in 1904) are both rapidly approaching the end of their
life cycles. Due to inherent design characteristics, neither of the bridges can
be updated to modern standards, regardless of the amount of funds or level
of maintenance put in. Both bridges will eventually have to be closed. In addition, the Market Street Bridge currently has a 5-ton weight limit and is not capable of supporting commercial truck traffic. The Veterans' Memorial Bridge was constructed in 1990 and has ample traffic capacity. However, access to this bridge is vulnerable to blockage due to accidents. This bridge is also closed once a year for inspection. On these occasions, the two older bridges are not adequate to handle the volume of traffic.
- The closing of the Fort Steuben Bridge will leave our region with only one river crossing capable of carrying commercial truck traffic.
- The closing of both the Fort Steuben and Market Street Bridges would leave only one river crossing (the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge), and would create an unacceptable emergency response time situation.
- Overall, the concentration of all river crossing capacity within a small geographic area constrains the overall flexibility of the regional transportation system.
Our Goals for the New Bridge... Below are listed the general goals we want to achieve with the building of a new bridge and enhancement of our transit system.
- Economic Development: In order for us to be a “credible player” in the economic development arena, we must have a transit system that provides connectivity throughout the BHJ region. A new bridge and enhanced transit system shall assure our ability to support “base business” and "prospective businesses," promote future growth in interstate commerce, reduce lengthy work travel times, and enhance the quality of life for our citizens.
- Improved Safety: We must have efficient and safe ingress and egress during both normal as well as emergency situations.
- Future Capacity: We need bridges, roads, and highways that offer a balanced and modern infrastructure that provides fast, flexible and efficient interstate traffic flow. This fosters: Retention and expansion of existing businesses; Development of new commercial enterprises in the Ohio Valley; Transition to a “bedroom community” of Pittsburgh and other large metro areas; Enhanced access for Homeland Security and emergency services deployment.
What You Can Do... If you want to get involved, you can start by visiting the Take Action page to learn how you can help in the process of getting support and allocating funding for the bridge. To learn more about our cause, watch the new video, download a Full Report of the BHJ Regional Bridge System Study and visit the Meetings page to read the latest minutes and learn about what's being done right now to move the bridge project forward. Feel free to explore the rest of the website and Contact Us with any questions or comments you might have.
