Harrison County was included in the latest list of projects awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways that are part of Gov. Jim Justice’s $2.8 billion Roads to Prosperity program.

 

There were 32 projects included in the latest set of projects approved by the WVDOH. Only one of those was in Harrison County and, like several in the past, it involves a Bridge.

 

The bridge project will total nearly $1 million. The bridge in question is Corporal Jerry Lee Halpenny and PFC Michael Alonzo Wells Memorial Bridge in Enterprise and the work will cost $822,711.24.

 

According to Jason Nelson, PE, the WVDOH District 4 Construction Engineer, the project is a renovation and not a replacement of the bridge. In fact, he said for the most part the bridge is not in bad condition.

 

“The current structure is structurally in good shape but needs some minor routine major maintenance work performed to bring it back up to speed to all it to meet its full life span,” said Nelson of the bridge building in the mid-1970s, according to WVDOH records.

 

The work includes several areas, he said. It will involve deck surface patching, abutment and pier patching, drainage system repair and cleaning, expansion dam replacement, along with beam cleaning and painting.

 

The northern Harrison County bridge is a two-lane bridge with wide shoulders. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 19 and Enterprise Road (Co. 19/2), according to Nelson.

 

“The project could start at anytime but with material lead time and some temperature restrictions on some of the materials I estimate the project will start in late April to early May 2024,” said Nelson. “It will end around the planned completion date of August 23.”

 

The project, as most bridge projects do, will create some traffic woes. Nelson said the work will be done in phases on the deck surface one lane at a time, which will lead to interruptions in regular traffic flow along with other work.

“Traffic will be controlled by temporary signals on CR 19/2 and flaggers at other times for under bridge work and other items,” he said.

 

Titan Industrial Services Inc. out of Baltimore, MD, was the low bidder. The company, which has past work with the WVDOH but none in District 4, was awarded the contract Nov. 13. They won the bid despite their low bid being over budget.

 

“Increased construction costs are the most likely reason for (it being over budget),” said Nelson.

 

Editor's Note: Top two photos show the bridge in question, while the bottom image shows the area where the bridge is located in Harrison County.