WVDOH to consider WVU student design recommendations for new Morgantown bridges

MORGANTOWN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Undergraduate engineering students from West Virginia University have significantly contributed to the construction of new bridges in Morgantown.

Civil engineering major Benjamin Opie from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and his peers spent the Spring 2024 semester researching and designing replacements for the Scotts Run bridge on Lazzelle Union Road and the Fieldcrest Bridge over West Run Road as part of a senior capstone course.

Associate Professor Karl Barth, who oversees the bridge design capstone, noted that the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH), along with Nucor Corporation, High Steel Structures, and Cleveland-Cliffs, will implement the students’ designs starting in early to mid-2025.

“The two bridge designs worked on in the capstone class represent cutting-edge technologies with significant potential for improving infrastructure economy and efficiency,” Barth stated.

Opie helped lead a group focusing on the Scotts Run bridge, which exhibited significant wear despite its relatively recent construction.

“We wanted to propose a design that will last a long time,” Opie said, explaining their goal to replace the outdated concrete adjacent box beam design with more durable options.

The capstone course involved extensive research and collaboration with professional contractors and consultants.

Opie described it as “the final of all finals,” integrating every aspect of civil engineering, from structural analysis to environmental and geotechnical considerations.

His previous internship with Michael Baker International provided a solid foundation for this project.

Barth highlighted the broader impact of the students’ work, stating that their designs would influence standard practices beyond West Virginia.

West Virginia Secretary of Transportation Jimmy Wriston praised the collaboration, emphasizing its mutual benefits. “As a champion of higher learning, it’s exciting to partner with our engineering schools to ensure the next generation of engineers are ready, willing, and able to apply practical, real-world experience to their skill sets,” Wriston said.

Despite receiving a job offer as a field engineer in Baltimore, Opie chose to continue his education in WVU’s civil engineering master’s program.

Reflecting on the capstone experience, he acknowledged its challenges but also its rewards.

“Being able to work through that and seeing it all come full circle is one of the best feelings I’ve had in a while,” Opie concluded.

For more information on WVU’s engineering programs and their community impact, visit the WVU website.