Speaking

Situated in the small town of Thurmond, West Virginia, the historic Thurmond Bridge is an important crossing over the rushing waters of the New River Gorge for pedestrians, motorists, and trains. Cantilevered from the 827-foot-long-truss and deep girder span bridge owned by CSX, the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s (WVDOT) structure has only a single lane that is used by both pedestrians and motorists traveling to the town’s train depot and nearby tourism spots. The Thurmond Bridge’s unusual design is further complicated by its location in an area on the National Register of Historic Places and within the protected New River Gorge National River unit of the National Park Service (NPS).

With a limited budget, the team focused on structural repairs to maintain capacity and improve safety. Join us for a presentation discussing the inspection and process used to identify options for rehabilitating the aging bridge. We will review how the final rehabilitation solution increased the load posting, provided safe travel on a single lane for both vehicles and pedestrians, improved the structural stability, and maintained historical significance.