KINGWOOD -— The fate of a 127-year-old truss bridge hangs in the balance as the Division of Highways (DOH) determines whether repairing it is feasible.
On Tuesday the DOH announced the emergency closure of the Rockville Mount Nebo Road bridge due to its condition.
In an email Thursday, Jennifer Jo Dooley, West Virginia Department of Transportation Information Corps Manager, noted the bridge was built in 1893.
“We show an Average Daily Traffic count of 10, but that is as low as our traffic counts go (if there is any possibility of traffic.) It is used infrequently by vehicles but evidently it is used by all-terrain vehicles,” Dooley wrote.
“A recent bridge inspection discovered deficiencies that deemed it unsafe for travel in its present condition. We are currently evaluating the repairs needed to ensure its safety and will determine if the work is feasible after the study is complete,” she said.
Owen Mulkeen, associate director of Friends of the Cheat, said removing the bridge would cause problems.
Friends of the Cheat own a recreational access point at the location.
Removal of the bridge “makes an island of our property,” Mulkeen said. “We would like to see it returned to safe operational condition, a replacement or a partnership with other landowners for access.”
Mulkeen said it would cause massive detours for boaters on the upper Big Sandy from Bruceton to Rockville and for those on the lower Big Sandy going from Rockville to where Big Sandy meets the Cheat.
Friends of the Cheat has had more than 20 comments on its Facebook site about the closing.
Mike Shane Krofcheck Jr. posted: “All outdoor enthusiasts need to come together and petition this to get repaired or even fund to get it repaired, imo (in my opinion) it’s not in that bad of shape and I know I would pitch in to have it repaired if needed. It’s a main route for a lot of people.”
The bridge is listed on Historic Bridges.org as being built by the King Bridge Company. The Rockville Mount Nebo truss bridge is unusual, according to Historic Bridges.org.
“Its combination design, featuring a through and pony truss span allows not only for a technological comparison of two types of truss bridge, but also for a comparison between bridge products offered by the prominent King Bridge Company.
“The through truss span features a decorative portal bracing knee including star cutouts … a distinctive detail of its builder. The use of lacing instead of cover plate on the end post and top chord is unusual, however. In contrast, the pony truss span uses cover plate for these parts.”
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