Year-Long Road Closure Small Price to Pay as City to See Center Street Bridge Replaced by State in 2025
By Jeff Toquinto on December 04, 2024
A three-plus hour strategic planning session by seven department heads highlighted a special Tuesday meeting of Bridgeport City Council.
The meeting, the second strategic planning session held in two months, was held in the conference room of the Bridgeport Fire Department on Main Street. It was also the final meeting of the year – barring an emergency session – for the city’s governing body.
During the meeting, millions of dollars in proposed and planned projects and purchases, city staff matters, as well as procedures and policies up for consideration at the suggestion of department heads were discussed. While all were critical, one coming up as early as May of 2025 that many traveling through Bridgeport will see and some impacted is good news for the city.
City Engineer Beth Fox, who talked about a number of substantial projects that could happen for the coming year totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, said one is happening. And that is the long-talked-about replacement of the Center Street Bridge.
It was on May 4 of 2023, former City Manager Brian Newton was given permission to enter into a rehabilitation agreement with the West Virginia Department of Transportation Division of Highways that has led to the future replacement. The agreement was unique in the fact that not only is the bridge not under state jurisdiction and will be handled by the state, but that the program the city entered into saw the state agreeing to cover 100 percent of the replacement cost.
At the 2023 meeting, Fox had sent a memo to Council saying that State Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston informed the city that they were eligible to receive state and federal funds to cover all costs. The key part, beyond that, was that the standard 20 percent match
would not be required for projects of this nature.
would not be required for projects of this nature.
The only issue? When would it take place? Bridgeport had several bridges it submitted for replacement, but there were plans already in place for the Center Street Bridge. The reason was that the state, which began inspecting structures other than their own years ago, had listed that bridge’s replacement as a priority as its weight capacity continually was decreased.
“They put it on their improvement program list under this program, but they told me it would be about five years out,” said Fox.
That changed when the city was able to submit plans done on the bridge’s replacement by Burgess & Niple. The engineering work was done, Fox said, about 12 years ago. However, Burgess & Niple amended and updated the plans to meet current specifications and the plans were sent to WVDOT officials.
“Now, it is supposed to be going in the next year,” said Fox, who told Council it could have cost $3 million for the work. She did say during 
a break at the meeting she was not totally sure of the estimate, but that it was easily in the millions of dollars.
a break at the meeting she was not totally sure of the estimate, but that it was easily in the millions of dollars.
The project, she said, will result in the closing of Center Street. Fox said it will likely be closed for roughly a year.
Human Resource Director Amanda Woody led off the lengthy session. She talked about hoping to utilize mental health training with employees as well as focus on mental health in the workplace, among other things.
Emergency Management Director Tim Curry also covered a number of areas. Key among them was to strengthen community outreach and preparedness. One statistic he brought up was that the department trained 225 community members in CPR/first aid and that the plan is to double that in 2025.
Bridgeport Fire Department Chief Phil Hart talked about increasing personnel as well as beginning to save money for a new ladder track with proper escrowing of funds. The key, he said, was to have six new employees. That would allow for four individuals per shift at the substation located on Jerry Dove Drive as opposed to two.
As for the ladder truck, the 2009 model is beginning to show age even though Hart said they can last up to 20 years or longer. The issue is that it is nearing the 20-year threshold and Hart said it takes 36-48 months to go from putting down the initial payment and get the finished
product.
product.
Hart and Deputy Chief Greg Pigg said the cost of the 2009 truck was $989,000. Today, the same truck would exceed $3 million. Hart said he believes Council needs to consider upping the fire service fee, which has not been raised since 2007 to cover the substantial increase in costs for all equipment from fire apparatus to ambulances.
Police Chief Mark Rogers talked about hoping to see the finalizing of design and the preparation of bid documents for a new Bridgeport Police Department in 2025. Along with talking about enhancing equipment and safety, as well as plans to name a new lieutenant and sergeant in 2025, Rogers talked about issues involving the homeless situation that has hammered parts of Harrison County.
“We haven’t found the camping activity as we have in the past,” said Rogers. “… It has not been an issue we have had to face too often.” The chief, who was joined in answering multiple question by Deputy Chief Doug Yost, said Bridgeport does not offer support services for homeless that some municipalities do, and he believes that is a reason why the population migrates to certain areas.
Community Development Director Andrea Kerr talked about the substantial growth that the city has benefited from but pointed out that the growth has led to the need for an additional property maintenance inspector. If hired, that would give the city four.
Kerr also wanted to continue to focus on any dilapidated structures that need to be demolished if all other efforts fail. The good news, in comparison to other cities in the state, is that Kerr said the city only had “five or six” structures on the list being considered for demolition.
Public Works Director Kenneth "Tiny" Grimes wrapped up the department head portion of the meeting. Among several projects, Grimes talked about sidewalk and utility pole relocations involving a storm system upgrade on Stout, North, and Olive Streets, as well as Worthington Drive and Philadelphia Avenue.
Following the presentations, Mayor Andy Lang gave a presentation. That was followed up by talking points from City Manager Patrick Ford who spent most of the meeting taking copious notes to bring back to staff for discussion and possible implementation and financing.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows the Center Street Bridge and the current weight capacity, while the second image is of Fire Chief Phil Hart, left, and Deputy Chief Greg Pigg. In the third image, Bridgeport Deputy Police Chief Doug Yost addresses the gathering as Police Chief Mark Rogers looks on. In the third photo, from left, City Manager Patrick Ford, and Council member John Wilson and Clayton Rice, listen to city staff during the session. Bottom image shows Kenneth "Tiny" Grimes talking about issues and goals for 2025 by the Bridgeport Public Works Department.
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