{{short description|Suspension bridge over the Ohio River}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{good article}} {{Infobox bridge | bridge_name = Fort Steuben Bridge | image = Steubenville, Ohio, Fort Steuben Bridge.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | official_name = | other_name = | carries = 2 lanes of vehicular traffic, 1 pedestrian sidewalk | crosses = Ohio River | locale = Between Steubenville, Ohio, and Weirton, West Virginia | owner = Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) | maint = | id = | architect = | designer = | engineering = The Dravo Contracting Company<ref name=odot1>{{cite web |last= Wolfe |first= G. F. |title= Stanton Bridge over the Ohio River |url= http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D11/Fort%20Stueben%20Bridge%20Files/17130.PDF |format= PDF, blueprints |access-date= February 21, 2012 |date= June 21, 1927 |publisher= The Dravo Contracting Company }}</ref> | design = Suspension bridge | material = Steel superstructure | length = {{convert|1584|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=odot1 /> | width = {{convert|29|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=odot2>{{cite web |last= Shoemaker |first= E. F. |title= Stanton Bridge over the Ohio River |url= http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D11/Fort%20Stueben%20Bridge%20Files/17130_rc.PDF |format= PDF, blueprints |access-date=February 21, 2012 |date=November 25, 1927 |publisher=The Dravo Contracting Company }}</ref> | height = | mainspan = {{convert|688|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=odot1 /> | spans = 7<ref name=odot1 /> | pierswater = 6<ref name=odot1 /> | load = | clearance = | below = {{convert|41.3|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=odot1 /> above high water | life = | builder = | fabricator = | begin = | complete = {{start date|1928}} | cost = | open = | inaugurated = | toll = | traffic = | preceded = | followed = | heritage = | closed = January 2009 (closed)<br />{{End date|2012|02|21}} (demolished) | collapsed = | replaces = | map_cue = | map_image = | map_alt = | map_text = | map_width = | coordinates = {{coord|40.37982|N|80.61329|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title|name=Fort Steuben Bridge}} | lat = | long = | references = | extra = }}
The '''Fort Steuben Bridge''', originally the '''Weirton-Steubenville Bridge''', was a suspension bridge which spanned the Ohio River from Steubenville, Ohio to Weirton, West Virginia and carried U.S. Route 22 and then Ohio State Route 822 during its existence. Completed in 1928 and opened as a toll bridge, the Fort Steuben Bridge was a more direct route for the flow of traffic across the river; particularly for trucks and heavy vehicles from the industrial area. The Fort Steuben Bridge was weight-restricted in 2006 and closed in 2009 due to deterioration. The bridge was demolished by Joseph B. Fay Co. on February 21, 2012.
== Construction == Originally named the Weirton-Steubenville Bridge, construction of the bridge began in 1927 and was completed in 1928.<ref>{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Robert Ralston|title=The Ohio River: Charts, Drawings, and Description of Features Affecting Navigation : War Department Rules and Regulations for the River and Its Tributaries : Navigable Depths and Tables of Distances for Tributaries|year=1929|pages=207}}</ref> Under the direction of the Dravo Contracting Company's Engineering Works Department, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the project was referred to as the "Stanton Bridge over the Ohio River at Steubenville, Ohio".<ref name=odot1 /> The bridge spanned {{convert|1584|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} and had a width of {{convert|29|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=odot1 /><ref name=odot2 />
== Service life == Serving as a link between Steubenville, Ohio and Weirton, West Virginia, the Fort Steuben Bridge opened as a toll bridge in November 1928.<ref name=hs>{{cite web | url=http://hsconnect.com/page/content.detail/id/569746/Date-set--for-Fort--Steuben--Bridge--blast.html | title=Date set for Fort Steuben Bridge blast | publisher=Herald Star | date=February 1, 2012 | access-date=January 29, 2014 | author=Warren, Scott | archive-date=February 2, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202145234/http://hsconnect.com/page/content.detail/id/569746/Date-set--for-Fort--Steuben--Bridge--blast.html | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Highway Topics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M8QkAAAAMAAJ|year=1928|page=13|publisher=Ohio Good Roads Federation}}</ref> The bridge was the main carrier of U.S. Route 22 over the Ohio River, its traffic included trucks and heavy duty vehicles associated with the industrial facilities in Weirton-Steubenville area and along the Ohio River. The Fort Steuben Bridge provided a more direct route for the flow of traffic which previously had to use the Market Street Bridge. As of 1940 the toll for the bridge was 5 cents (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|0.05|1940|r=2}}}} with inflation{{Inflation-fn|US}}) for pedestrians and 25 cents (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|0.25|1940|r=2}}}} with inflation<ref name=inflation-US />) for automobiles.<ref name="onProject1940">{{cite book|title=Ohio: The Ohio Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZDzHs_yR1WQC&pg=PA319|year=1940|publisher=Federal Writers|isbn=978-1-62376-034-2|page=319}}</ref> The toll was removed in 1947,<ref name="DayHall2005">{{cite book|last1=Day|first1=Sandra Hudnall|last2=Hall|first2=Alan|title=Steubenville|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jhCIY6H8sv8C&pg=PA56|year=2005|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-3399-5|page=56}}</ref>{{efn|Sources differ in whether this was 1947 or in the 1950s<ref name="DayHall2005"/><ref name=hs2 /> }} when ownership of the bridge was transferred to the State of Ohio.<ref name=hs2 /> Improvements to the bridge were made in 1956.<ref name="DayHall2005"/>
By the late 1970s, traffic congestion on the bridge had become a serious problem. A 1978 study revealed that although the bridge could handle a peak 1,600 vehicles passing over the bridge per hour, excess traffic pushing it towards its theoretical capacity of 1,920 vehicles per hour could potentially cause gridlock on the bridge.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ohio River Bridge and Relocated US-22, Weirton WV to Steubenville OH: Environmental Impact Statement|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=re03AQAAMAAJ|year=1978|page=37}}</ref> The United States Senate report accompanying the fiscal 1983 appropriation bill for the United States Department of Transportation mentioned that its replacement had become a high priority.<ref name="Appropriations1984">{{cite book|title=Department of Transportation and related agencies appropriations for fiscal year ...: hearings before the subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate|chapter=Progress on Weirton-Steubenville Bridge|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qdUeAQAAMAAJ|year=1984|publisher=U.S. G.P.O.|pages=138–9}}</ref> A proposed schedule was for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to receive plans for a cable stayed superstructure by February 1, 1983, and for the project to be approved by mid-April 1983.<ref name="Appropriations1984"/>
Fort Steuben Bridge's replacement, the Veterans Memorial Bridge, was completed in 1990.<ref name="ODOT press release" /> The Ohio Department of Transportation capped funding for maintaining the Fort Steuben Bridge in 1998 at around $200,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|200000|1998|r=-4}}}} with inflation{{Inflation-fn|US}}) per year.<ref name="sj">{{cite news | title=Planning council examines bridge options | work=State Journal | date=February 18, 2005 | author=Harris, Linda|id = {{ProQuest|220059213}}}}</ref> The Fort Steuben Bridge was weight-restricted in 2006 due to the weakening of the structure over time.<ref name="ODOT press release">{{cite press release | url=http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D11/newsreleases/Pages/0115092.aspx | title=Fort Steuben Bridge Will Remain Closed | publisher=Ohio Department of Transportation | date=January 15, 2009 | access-date=January 29, 2014 | last=McCarty | first=Becky | archive-date=October 29, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192438/http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D11/newsreleases/Pages/0115092.aspx | url-status=dead }}</ref> The assessment prompted a weight limit; reducing the bridge's traffic which consisted of heavy trucks.<ref name=hs /> The bridge was known to be affected by rain vibration.<ref name="Caetano2007">{{cite book|last=Caetano|first=Elsa de Sá|title=Cable Vibrations in Cable-stayed Bridges|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vQh2xnPxZYsC&pg=PA53|date=1 January 2007|publisher=IABSE|isbn=978-3-85748-115-4|page=53}}</ref><ref name="BoselaDelatte2007">{{cite book|last1=Bosela|first1=Paul A.|last2=Delatte|first2=Norbert J.|title=Forensic Engineering: Proceedings of the 4th Congress, October 6-9, 2006, Cleveland, Ohio|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KYHrgwkG8d4C&pg=PA364|year=2007|publisher=ASCE Publications|isbn=978-0-7844-0853-7|page=364}}</ref>
== Closing and demolition == On January 8, 2009, a dip in the floor of the bridge was reported in the course of routine maintenance, prompting an inspection on the bridge.<ref name="ODOT press release" /> On January 15, 2009, the Ohio Department of Transportation deemed the bridge unfit for traffic, citing "significant deteriorating changes in the floor condition of the bridge."<ref name="ODOT press release" /> Repairs to the bridge were not conducted because the bridge was expected to be demolished in late 2009 and the cost of the repairs would not be "cost effective or prudent".<ref name="ODOT press release" />
The Fort Steuben Bridge was destroyed in a controlled demolition on February 21, 2012.<ref name=demo>{{cite document | title=One Bridge Down, One Still Waiting to Come Down | publisher=State Journal | date=February 24, 2012 | author=Ross, Jim|id = {{ProQuest|940853421}}}}</ref> The Ohio Department of Transportation contracted Joseph B. Fay Co. to demolish the bridge.<ref name=demo /> The roadway and approaches were removed in preparation for the demolition.<ref name=demo /> A collection of 490 linear shape charges were used in 136 locations along the span, totaling {{convert|153|lb}} of explosives.<ref name=hs2 /><ref name=demo /> The charges were rigged in a series of 20 blasts, each lasting only 0.35 seconds and occurring only nine milliseconds apart.<ref name=hs2>{{cite news|last=Scott|first=Warren|title=Blast topples Fort Steuben Bridge|url=http://www.heraldstaronline.com/page/content.detail/id/570539/Blast-topples-Fort-Steuben-Bridge.html?nav=5010|access-date=March 20, 2012|newspaper=Herald Star|date=February 21, 2012|archive-date=April 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411095715/http://heraldstaronline.com/page/content.detail/id/570539/Blast-topples-Fort-Steuben-Bridge.html?nav=5010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=demo /> The cleanup of the debris was done by River Salvage Co. of Pittsburgh.<ref name=demo /> The demolition was featured in a Scholastic SuperScience article and it included a picture of the demolition spread across two pages.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Exploding Bridge | journal=Scholastic SuperScience |date=February 2013 | volume=24 | issue=5}}</ref>
== See also == * {{Portal-inline|Transport}} * {{Portal-inline|Engineering}} * {{Portal-inline|Ohio}}
== References == ; Notes {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
;Citations {{reflist}}
== External links == {{commons category}} *{{cite web|url= http://www.historicbridges.org/ohio/fortsteuben/plans.pdf |title=Collection of bridge plans }} *{{YouTube|id= IVNM8LFVzUE |title= Fort Steuben Bridge Demolition}} by user OhioTransportation, official account created by the Ohio Department of Transportation {{Crossings navbox |structure = Crossings |place = Ohio River |bridge = Fort Steuben Bridge (demolished) |bridge signs = Former 25px |upstream = Wayne Six Toll Bridge |upstream signs = |downstream = Veterans Memorial Bridge |downstream signs = 20px }}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
Category:1928 establishments in Ohio Category:1928 establishments in West Virginia Category:2012 disestablishments in Ohio Category:2012 disestablishments in West Virginia Category:Bridges completed in 1928 Category:Bridges in Brooke County, West Virginia Category:Bridges over the Ohio River Category:Buildings and structures demolished by controlled implosion Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2012 Category:Buildings and structures in Jefferson County, Ohio Category:Buildings and structures in Weirton, West Virginia Category:Demolished bridges in the United States Category:Demolished buildings and structures in West Virginia Category:Former toll bridges in Ohio Category:Former toll bridges in West Virginia Category:Road bridges in Ohio Category:Road bridges in West Virginia Category:Steel bridges in the United States Category:Suspension bridges in Ohio Category:Suspension bridges in West Virginia Category:U.S. Route 22