NEWS FEED

The End of an Era

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After serving as a vital link between the cities of  Weirton and Steubenville for nearly 80 years, the Fort Steuben Bridge was brought down in a blaze of glory at 7:15 AM on Tuesday, February 21, 2012.

The bridge was deemed structurally deficient in January 2009 after a deflection was found in the bridge’s deck during a routine inspection.  The Ohio Department of Transportation closed it to traffic immediately, and the span sat unused for over three years.

Deciding not to allow the Fort Steuben Bridge to continue to deteriorate, ODOT planned for its demolition by the Joseph Fay Company and Controlled Demolition.  After removing large concrete slabs from the bridge’s deck and removing the approaches and trusses at each end, several hundred pounds of explosives were placed along the exterior of the structure.  The devices served to cut the remaining metal and send it tumbling into the Ohio River below.

The implosion took place as close to dawn as possible so crews could remove debris from the waterway within daylight hours.  Removal of the remaining supports and drainage systems will continue for several months.