Market Street Bridge (Ohio River) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Market Street Bridge |
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MSB at night
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| Coordinates | 40°21′28″N 80°36′29″W / 40.35778°N 80.60806°W |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Preceded by | Steubenville Railroad Bridge |
| Followed by | Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Railroad Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 1,794 feet (547 m) |
| Width | 20.7 feet (6.3 m) |
| Longest span | 680 feet (210 m) |
| Number of spans | 3 |
| History | |
| Designer | E. K. Morse |
| Constructed by | Ohio Steel Erection Company |
| Fabrication by | Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, Bethlehem Steel |
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Market Street Bridge
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| Location | WV 2 spur, mile post 0.01 / Market St., vicinity of Follansbee, West Virginia |
| NRHP reference No. | 100003517 |
| Added to NRHP | March 21, 2019 |
The Market Street Bridge is a cool suspension bridge that connects Steubenville, Ohio, and Follansbee, West Virginia. It crosses the mighty Ohio River. The Ohio Steel Erection Company built it in 1905. The steel parts came from Jones and Laughlin Steel Company and Bethlehem Steel. This bridge is 1,794 feet (547 m) long and 20.7 feet (6.3 m) wide. In 2002, about 15,000 vehicles crossed it every day. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 because of its importance.
Contents
How the Market Street Bridge Was Built
Who Designed the Market Street Bridge?
The bridge was designed by a talented engineer named E.K. Morse. He worked for many steel companies in Pittsburgh. Morse also helped organize the Pittsburgh Flood Commission. He designed many bridges over big rivers like the Allegheny, Monongahela, Niagara, and Kentucky.
Morse even worked with the famous Roebling family. They helped design the well-known Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Morse was also known around the world. He designed the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge in Australia in 1887. Morse passed away in 1942.
Why Was the Bridge Built?
The Market Street Bridge was once called the Steubenville Bridge. It was a big project by the Steubenville Bridge Company. This company was likely created just to build this bridge. There's a story that a businessman from Steubenville, Dohrman Sinclair, made a deal. He agreed with the Follansbee Brothers from West Virginia that if the bridge was built, they would open a steel mill.
This mill would be on the West Virginia side, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the bridge. This mill became known as Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Coke Works. Today, it's called Mountain State Carbon. The bridge made it easy for workers to get to the mill. The mill has also been very important for the local economy.
Opening Day and Early Traffic
The Market Street Bridge first opened for people walking on July 2, 1905. It was a big success! Two weeks later, cars and other vehicles could cross too. They had to wait a bit for repairs on the road on the West Virginia side.
The first two people to pay the toll were William M. Helms and John J. Dillon. They each bought a ticket for 5 cents and walked across. The first car to cross belonged to E.W. Cooper, who was in charge of building the bridge, and his wife.
The bridge was built for streetcars and other vehicles. It first had wooden floors where the streetcar tracks were. But these wooden floors often caught fire. So, builders had to cover the wood with pavement. In 1917, the Steubenville Bridge Company sold the bridge. The new owners were the West Penn Traction Company, who ran the streetcar line.
Important Repairs and Changes
What Happened in 1922?
In 1922, the Market Street Bridge had a big problem. Some of its main cables broke! This happened because heavy freight cars had crossed the bridge. The West Penn Traction Company called in Dr. David B. Steinman for help. He was a very famous structural engineer from New York City.
Steinman was known for his work with the American Bridge Company. He was most famous for designing the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. Steinman met with the original designer, E.K. Morse, in Pittsburgh. Then, he came to Steubenville. He even climbed the bridge towers to see the broken cables up close.
Steinman designed improvements for the bridge. He made the deck an "open deck" design. The repairs started in the same year the cables broke. These changes made the bridge stronger and able to carry more weight.
Other Bridges in the Area
In 1928, another suspension bridge was built nearby. It was called the Fort Steuben Bridge, or the Stanton Bridge. It was less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Market Street Bridge. The Fort Steuben Bridge connected Ohio State Route 7 in Steubenville to U.S. Route 22 in Weirton, West Virginia.
However, after a bad inspection in 2007, the Ohio Department of Transportation decided to close it. Many people thought it should have been saved because it was historic. But it was taken down in 2012.
In 1990, the Veterans Memorial Bridge was built. Many people call it the "wishbone" bridge because of its shape. This bridge carries 6 lanes of US 22. Unlike the Market Street Bridge, which is a suspension bridge, the Veterans Memorial Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge. It uses strong metal and concrete, with 26 cables attached to its tower. This bridge has had some small problems over the years.
When Did West Virginia Buy the Bridge?
In 1941, after three years of talks, the State of West Virginia bought the Market Street Bridge for $1.3 million. This was a bit surprising. Some people in Wheeling, West Virginia, didn't want the bridge to be bought. They thought it might hurt trade between Wheeling and other areas.
After West Virginia bought it, the bridge towers got some repairs. In the early 1940s, streetcars became less popular. Cars and trucks were becoming more common. So, the entire bridge deck was replaced to make it better for vehicles. Many streetcar companies even changed their business to become electrical supply companies.
To pay for $400,000 in repairs, West Virginia started charging tolls. You could buy five tickets to cross for 40 cents. The tolls were removed early in 1953. This was because the repair costs had been paid off.
A new steel deck was put in in 1953 and again in 1981. The walkway for people was fixed in 1956. The whole bridge was repainted in 1982.
Recent Upgrades and New Colors
In 2005, an inspection said the Market Street Bridge was in serious condition. It was called "structurally deficient," even though its deck was okay. The West Virginia Department of Transportation planned repairs. These started in 2009. They included fixing the main frame and towers. They also made the bridge stronger to carry more weight.
Work began in 2010 to add new lights along the outside cables. The bridge also got a new paint job! Officials even asked people on the West Virginia Department of Transportation website to vote for the new colors. After a huge vote of 14,543, dark blue paint was chosen for the towers and cables. The main frame was painted a dusty yellow.
The bridge reopened in a public ceremony on December 7, 2011. The Governor of West Virginia, Earl Ray Tomblin, and the Transportation Secretary, Paul Mattox, were there.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation believes the Market Street Bridge should be on the National Register of Historic Places. This is because of its special design and how it was built.
The Market Street Bridge wasn't the first bridge over the Ohio River in Steubenville. The First Panhandle Bridge, owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad, was built in 1857. It was mainly used for trains.
What Does the Market Street Bridge Look Like?
The Market Street Bridge is a steel suspension bridge. It is 1,794 feet (547 m) long and 22 feet (6.7 m) wide. The bridge has three main parts. Two are deck girder spans, and one is a five-span steel deck. These parts hang from cables. They are stiffened by a special frame called a Warren truss. The main part of the bridge is 680 feet (210 m) long.
The square, "box-like" steel frame that surrounds the driving deck is called a quadrangular Warren truss. The bridge cables are connected to two steel towers. These towers stand 210 feet (64 m) above the stone supports. These stone supports, along with concrete bases and steel frames, make up the bridge's foundation.
The space under the deck is exactly 11 feet (3.4 m) high. The bridge is estimated to hang 75 feet (23 m) above the water. When it was first built, the bridge had fancy decorations. There were decorative tops on the towers and detailed designs on the towers and entrances. These were removed during later repairs. We don't know exactly when or why they were taken off. Some people wanted these decorations put back during recent renovations.
