The Jennings Randolph Bridge connecting East Liverpool to Chester is empty of traffic after suddenly being closed Monday due to structural damage. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

CHARLESTON – The Jennings Randolph Bridge, which carries US Route 30 across the Ohio River between Chester and East Liverpool, has been closed temporarily for repairs, according to the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

A safety inspection of the structure discovered an issue which requires repair. A consultant engineer is on site evaluating the next steps for repair. WVDOT will keep the public informed by press release when updates are available.

The bridge is expected to be close for three weeks or more, depending on weather.

A Hancock County Department of Transportation spokeswoman said late Monday that she had no specifics regarding the status of the bridge beyond that it was closed “indefinitely” after failing a safety inspection. She said that she could provide no insight regarding any flaws at this time, but they were awaiting details from a statement from the West Virginia Department of Transportation just like the public.

Detour

Traffic traveling in Ohio will detour onto state Route 7 South, to US Route 22 East, to Weirton, where the nearest bridge crossing the Ohio River is located. Local traffic traveling in West Virginia can take WV 2 South from Chester to Weirton. WVDOT has been in contact with the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to advise motorists in those states of the detours.

Traffic tie-up

Traffic backed up on both sides of the Ohio River as motorists were detoured to the Newell Toll Bridge.

In East Liverpool around 5 p.m., traffic trying to cross the Newell Bridge into West Virginia backed up on West Fifth Street in front of East Liverpool City Hospital and into the downtown area.

Looking across the Ohio River, traffic in Newell was backed up for miles with motorists trying to cross the bridge into East Liverpool.

East Liverpool Council Member Scott Barrett, who lives on Grandview Street where he could view the backups, noted the traffic was backed up into Newell on the Chester side of the bridge and it was backed up to state Route 11 on the East Liverpool side.

Barrett also said the road from Newell was shut down and traffic was being redirected toward Weirton, West Virginia. He also said there was a slide on Route 2 that was in the process of being cleaned up in Newell that might have also contributed to the back up.

“It’s been crazy,” Barrett said. “I have been here 22 years and never seen it backed up like this.”

Background

The Jennings Randolph Bridge, which had been built for $47 million in 1977 to replace the Chester Bridge, is the largest Pratt Truss bridge in North America.

After the bridge’s most recent repairs, which lasted more than two years, travelers saw the removal of Jersey barriers and barrels before traffic was reopened in January. Remaining to be completed were some aesthetic touches, including the bridge’s electrical conduit work and painting.

The Jennings Randolph Bridge spans 3,400 feet over the Ohio River and is named after the West Virginia Democratic senator who served during the bridge’s construction.

Review Correspondent Stephanie Ujhelyi assisted with this story.