The state Division of Highways announced Friday afternoon repairs have been completed on the Suspension Bridge in Wheeling and it has reopened to traffic.
The bridge was closed March 2nd after a cable snapped. Engineers say it was fortunate that it was what’s called a stay cable, one that keeps the bridge from swinging back and forth, rather than a support cable.
The repair work was done by the DOH instead of bringing in an outside contractor.
The 164-year-old span is the oldest bridge in use over the Ohio River. State Secretary of Transportation Paul Mattox said making the repair was a top priority for a very busy bridge.
The bridge is set to undergo a renovation within the next year. The cost is estimated at $10 million.
“We will go in and rehabilitate the bridge, try to give it another ten to fifteen years of useful service life,” according to Mattox.