One of City's Most Problematic Intersections Ready to See Improvement as Bids Due for Six-Figure Project
By Jeff Toquinto on July 01, 2024
Back in November of 2022, a group of eight West Virginia University engineering students, taking part in a group known as the CE Capstone Project team – presented a recommendation to Bridgeport City Council. The project involved fixing a problematic city intersection.
Nearly two years later, the project is on course to begin. Today, bids will be submitted to the City of Bridgeport’s engineering office to redesign 
the intersection of Worthington Avenue and Philadelphia Avenue.
the intersection of Worthington Avenue and Philadelphia Avenue.
The bid opening is at 2 p.m. The bids will be opened and read publicly.
For those not certain about the intersection and its importance, there is a reason for it. It is the intersection where the stop light manages a heavy traffic load during large parts of the year from Simpson Elementary School.
City Engineer Beth Fox is thrilled the project is coming to fruition.
“I can’t prioritize anything more than safety projects That’s what this one is basically about,” said Fox.
One thing that made it easy is the property owner on the corner across from the Bridgeport United Methodist Church at 204 West Philadelphia Avenue has been easy to work with. Because of that, once this project is complete Fox said there will be a much safer and more user-friendly intersection for vehicles and pedestrians.
“We’re taking a portion of the retaining and redesigning everything,” said Fox, who easily recalled the 2022 Council meeting where students also recommended taking 600 square feet from the church along with 2,500 square feet from the residence. “We’ll be cutting into 
the embankment, up to 10 feet back, to allow for the road to be widened. We’ll reestablish the line of the retaining wall and better allow for the road and sidewalks.”
the embankment, up to 10 feet back, to allow for the road to be widened. We’ll reestablish the line of the retaining wall and better allow for the road and sidewalks.”
Fox said the project to widen and redesign the intersection will last between six and eight weeks. She anticipates the project being awarded as early as next week when City Council will have to approve it.
For those worrying about it having an impact when children return to school, Fox said it should have minimal impact at worst, and most likely no impact.
“Most of the work involving the lane of traffic can be done prior to the start of school and we will plan to have the finishing touches done after the time traffic is increased due to school,” said Fox.
This is a six-figure project, which was estimated to be the case in 2022.
Fox said back in 2022 she worked with the students along with David Martinelli, Ph.D., of WVU and P.E.’s John H. Hart and Eric Martz. The students were tasked with bringing back a formal recommendation of theirs to Council to complete a class project for the semester.
Ironically, Fox was a student under Martinelli. Hart and Martz were students at WVU with Fox. Fox contacted WVU about a project, and it came to fruition with this particular project.
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