Advisory Committee Meeting #4
Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson
Bridge Study Advisory Committee
January 19, 2000

Below are the minutes taken by Dr. John Brown for the Bridge Study Committee conducted on January 19, 1999 at the Jefferson Community College in Steubenville, Ohio. This is a full list of attendees and description of happenings. After every meeting minutes and happenings will be posted here.

On January 19^th at 1:30, the Bridge Study Advisory Committee was called to order by Chairman David Snelting. The meeting proceeded in the following manner.

Minutes for December 15^th were adopted as presented.

Caleb Faux, Project Manager for the Bridge Study and a member of the consultant firm of Pflum, Klausmeier & Gehrum (PKG) provided a progress report on activities for the last 30 days.

• The project is on schedule. In February, the firm of Burgess and Niple will present alternative traffic impact statements based upon selected bridge scenarios. These scenarios will include a new bridge crossing in Brooke County. In March, a public information meeting in Jefferson County will be held. In April, a preliminary report will be made. In May, a final report will be made.
• Burgess and Niple in coordination with the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Planning Commission have updated the regional transportation model to include origin-destination information from 1997. In addition, new population and economic data has been developed for transportation zones. The model should be calibrated and operative by the end of January.
• With a 5 ton limit on the Market Street Bridge, the only heavy load/truck traffic bridges are the Veterans Bridge and the Ft. Steuben Bride. 17% of traffic on the Ft. Steuben Bridge are trucks, well above the normal percentage of 5-10%
• Based upon recent traffic count numbers from Modjeski and Masters, traffic count numbers on the Market Street, Veterans and Ft. Steuben Bridges were 13,000-18,000-6,000.

The Bridge Study Advisory Committee adopted a four-page goal and objective statement. The goals were the following statements.

• Maintain and enhance transportation capacity, safety and reliability for existing businesses, their employees and all residents
• Provide enhanced access for expansion and retention of businesses and attraction of new businesses to the region.
• Draw more commerce into the Upper Ohio Valley.
• Develop linkages to high capacity intermodal transportation by strengthening the connections to river ports and railroads.
• Enhance emergency management options to provide alternative routes in case of flood, natural disaster or accident.
• Improve travel times throughout the region.
• Ensure the cross-river transportation network from Wheeling north to Steubenville is sufficiently robust to carry all weights and sizes of commercial vehicles.

Todd McMeans, a bridge engineer from Modjeski and Masters, provided an existing bridge assessment. He noted his comments were based upon a review of annual inspection reports, discussion with WVDOT and ODOT bridge engineers and an on-site evaluation of the bridges. The following summary comments were provided.

• The Market Street Bridge constructed in 1904 and the Ft. Steuben Bridge, constructed in 1928, have undergone numerous rehabilitations. Unless significant investment is made to these bridges, both are near the end of their useful service life.
• Rehabilitation costs were based on the assumptions that bridge cable, bridge towers and bridge moorings are not deteriorated. If any or all of these assumptions are jeopardized, costs would be higher and need to be further evaluated.
• The minimum estimated costs of rehabilitation for the Market Street Bridge is $5.6 million over the next 10 to 20 years
• The minimum estimated costs of rehabilitation for the Ft. Steuben Bridge is $4 million over the next 10 to 20 years.

Mr. McMeans noted the minimal costs for a new bridge crossing, excluding ramping, would be $80 million.

A question and answer period followed Mr. McMeans presentation.

The meeting adjourned at 3:00. Mr. Faux announced the next meeting would be held February 16^th (Room 201. City of Weirton Municipal Building) at 1:30. The emphasis of the February meeting will be traffic impact based upon a new bridge crossing and optional bridge closings.