Well!...It's an International Award! (Parkersburg, Blennerhassett: credit, construction, high school)

[Two-Rivers]

Remember the bridge I told you about earlier? http://www.city-data.com/forum/west-...-corridor.html

Well, here is today's news:

PARKERSBURG — As preparations continue for Friday’s opening of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge, the state has received an engineering award on the project.

The West Virginia Division of Highways was selected from a worldwide list of projects to receive the Gustav Lindenthal Medal for the Blennerhassett Island Bridge during the International Bridge Conference held June 2-4, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

“The West Virginia Division of Highways is very fortunate to have so many hardworking, dedicated and talented individuals to manage and oversee a world-class project that is being recognized by the international bridge community,” said James Sothen, deputy state highway engineer for development, who accepted the award on behalf of the state.

The conference, sponsored by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania and ‘‘Roads and Bridges’’ magazine, Bayer MaterialScience and ‘‘Bridge Design and Engineering’’ magazine, annually awards five medals to recognize individuals and projects of distinction.

Named for the world renowned civil engineer who designed the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City and the Smithfield Street Bridge in Pittsburgh, among others, the Gustav Lindenthal Medal is awarded for an outstanding engineering structure that demonstrates technical and material innovation, aesthetic merit and harmony with the environment or successful community participation.

“The West Virginia Division of Highways is honored and excited that the Blennerhassett Island Bridge has been recognized with this international award,” said state Secretary of Transportation Paul Mattox. “It is a truly remarkable honor for a truly remarkable bridge.’’

In celebration of the opening, which marks the completion of the 11-mile Corridor D highway between Wood and Washington counties, the Department of Transportation will allow pedestrians to walk across the span this evening. The River City Runners is sponsoring a race, too.

Pedestrians will be permitted to walk along the eastbound lanes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the River City Runners will hold a 2.5 kilometer race on the eastbound lanes.

A luncheon commemorating the opening of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday at Parkersburg High School.

The event is sponsored by the chambers of commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley and the Belpre Area. It will precede the 1:30 p.m. dedication of the bridge and a bus will leave after the luncheon to take attendees to the dedication.

Blennerhassett Junior High School was the original location of the luncheon, however, it was moved to PHS because of a malfunction in the air conditioning system at Blennerhassett.

The governors from West Virginia and Ohio, Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., and Anne Pope, a chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission, are expected to participate in the opening ceremony.

The bridge is expected to be open to traffic by Friday evening.

Bridge earns Gustav award | Parkersburg News and Sentinel

[LilyLaLa]

Congratulations!!

[Two-Rivers]

Thank you!

I did actually do some work on this project, but I won't claim credit for it's success. I just wish it was open already. Tomorrow it will be.

[snorpus]

In other news... The Blennerhassett Junior High School Maintenance Department will not be receiving any awards this year from the HVAC Society.

[Two-Rivers]

Oh, I see you've been there. I don't think anyone in the County dept. understands HVAC.

Tomorrow is the big day. Here's the link to the bridge camera:
Blennerhassett Bridge Construction Cam - West Virginia Division of Highways

[BJC]

Is there an exit on this bridge to get off on the island now? I am confused, took a day trip there last October, and other than the parks truck I did not see any other cars, and really no roads for them to drive on.

[Two-Rivers]

There is no exit to the island. They do have horse drawn wagon rides, the vehicles are normally just service transportation, the caretaker lives on the island. Sometimes other vehicles are brought over for support of activities, such as Civil War encampments or The Rendezvous.

Exits are, from Ohio heading east on Rt.50: Rts 339/618 Belpre, Oh.

Then in WV: Dupont/Rt.892, River Hill Rd., Lubeck/Rt.68, Marrtown Rd. (the new Fort Boreman Park), Juliana St., 5th St/Division St., Rt.47/Staunton Ave., 7th St., and I-77 North and South.

[David Kennedy]

That entry into West Virginia should be award winning...we are on a run-a-way train here...to clean up the state and make it livable to everyone coming to live and to visit..
Good for Parkersburg and good for Wv...