Published: November 03, 2009 11:27 pm      

Memorial Bridge replacement project about to go out for bid

Several downtown Keyser buildings will be demolished to make room

KEYSER, W.Va. — Officials from several counties in Maryland and West Virginia discussed a project to replace the aging Memorial Bridge in Keyser at Tuesday’s meeting of the U.S. Route 50 Association.

During the meeting held at the Candlewyck Inn, Lee Thorne, regional supervisor with the West Virginia Department of Transportation, said advertising will soon begin for contract bids for two projects. The first contract will be for the replacement of the bridge that leads across the Potomac River from Keyser to McCoole, Md., and the second will be for a lift station for the bridge. Thorne said that advertising may begin later this week.

The project will involve the demolition of more than a dozen buildings, including United Disposal Services Inc., the Mineral Daily News-Tribune and an unnamed financial organization. The Keyser Volunteer Fire Department will also be demolished and relocated to Piedmont Street.

Thorne said plans are in place to hire an architect to design a new fire department.

“We’re excited about the possibility of having that bridge in the near future,” said Mineral County Commissioner Wayne Spiggle.

Other topics of discussion included plans for an environmental impact study involving U.S. Route 220. The first phase of the study is anticipated to be completed next year, after which a second phase will be conducted to further refine the results from the first phase. Meetings, workshops and hearings regarding the study are expected to begin next summer.

The association also discussed plans to improve the safety of the intersection of state Route 24 and U.S. 50 in Aurora. The plans include moving stop signs at the intersection and working to improve visibility. The Preston County Commission was scheduled to look into the safety of the intersection after a fatal accident several years ago.

Changing the speed limit at the intersection is not one of the plans officials are considering. A speed study earlier this year concluded that most motorists adhere to the posted speed limit and would likely ignore a lower limit.

The association is an organization consisting of representatives from Hampshire, Mineral, Grant, Preston, Taylor and Barbour counties. According to the organization’s mission statement, it is intended to improve U.S. Route 50 from the Virginia line to Clarksburg so that the highway will fulfill modern day safety standards and will more effectively function as an essential transportation artery.

The panel is led by Preston County Commissioner Craig Jennings. It was previously headed by Spiggle.

The next meeting of the association will be on Jan. 5 in Grant County.

Cory Galliher can be reached at cgalliher@times-news.com.