Gov. Justice makes announcement on Market Street Bridge federal funding

BROOKE COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF) — In January, leaders from both sides of the Ohio River in Brooke, Hancock and Jefferson Counties were frustrated.

At a multi-city meeting, they told the Division of Highways in an open letter they needed solutions to bring back the Market Street Bridge.

And it appears those have arrived in the form of an $87.5 million check.

Governor Jim Justice’s statewide address Wednesday officially announced the money from the federal Bridge Investment Program, established in the Infrastructure Law.

The money will go toward completely replacing the current 1905 structure.

While construction is still multiple years down the road, it brings hope to a downtown Steubenville that’s seen its traffic cut by one-third, and restores a shortcut for both residents and first responders.

The Brooke County Commission president says they didn’t know how much they missed it until the orange cones went up.

“We immediately started working, contacting our federal representatives as well as our state representatives to highlight the importance of that bridge to our region. So it seems like all those phone calls and Zoom calls paid off.”

AJ Thomas, President, Brooke County Commission

“Sadly enough, there’s been some traffic problems and so many accidents, I would say, and even a few fatalities. So to me, the Market Street Bridge represents a really viable safety alternative.”

Mike Adams, Weirton City Manager

Thomas says with years of design planning ahead, the location of the new bridge is still to be determined.

But he says the two options are most likely where it is now, or one block north at Washington Street.

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