Update 10/16/2014
Comments were accepted until December 1, 2014 on the Categorical Exclusion Evaluation [11 mb PDF] and the Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation [6 MB PDF].
Workshop Public Meeting
Taylor County Public Library Assembly Room
200 Beech Street, Grafton, West Virginia 26354
Purpose of Workshop
The purpose of this informational workshop public meeting is to afford participants an opportunity to ask questions and state their views and opinions on the bridge replacement project.
Workshop Format
This meeting will be held in a workshop format on August 5, 2010 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. The WVDOH procedure for public meetings is informal to maximize the attendees’ ability to ask questions and to give input on the project.
THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL PRESENTATION.
Project Description
The West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways (WVDOH) is in the process of considering alternatives for the future replacement of the Bridge Street Bridge, which crosses Three Fork Creek, CSX railroad, and Front Street in Grafton, Taylor County. The existing bridge is located near the western end of Taylor County Route (CR) 9, approximately 0.02 miles east (south by direction) of the intersection of US Route 119.
The Bridge Street Bridge was constructed in 1951 as a five span, steel truss and continuous span wide flange structure. It replaced a combined Thru and Pony Truss structure at the same location and is situated perpendicular to the creek. Current traffic data (2009) indicates the average daily traffic (ADT) as 4,000 vehicles per day and it is projected to be 6,100 in 2029. The bridge has a posted weight limit of 16 tons and has a current sufficiency rating of 31.1 out of 100.
A detour (page 15 of the Meeting Handout) that permits closure of the bridge to build the new bridge utilizes CR 44, CR 44/8, CR 119/42, and US 119. Approximately 500 feet of CR 44 that currently facilitates one-way traffic needs to be converted to two-way traffic. The length of the detour is approximately 1.3 miles. The detour route crosses two bridges (48-119-7.93 and 48-119/32-0.16) and one at-grade railroad crossing. District Four Traffic 6 Engineer, Fouad Shoukry, reviewed the detour route and indicated the existing road network should adequately handle the traffic diversion resulting from the temporary closure of Bridge Street Bridge. The St. Mary’s Street Bridge in Grafton, which was built in 2005, used the same detour for maintenance of traffic during construction of the replacement bridge. This structure is located on US Route 119 and has an ADT of approximately 7,000.
The Complete Meeting Handout is available for download
here.