Bridge earns Gustav award
6/12/2008 - 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.
Posted with permission from the Parkersburg News
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