The Wellsburg Bridge float and lift process is scheduled to begin at 8 am this Friday and will continue into Saturday to be finished.

The bridge was constructed entirely offsite, and it will be transported by barge 1 mile down the Ohio River and lifted into its final resting place on the existing trestles.

Once completed, the Wellsburg Bridge will connect Route 2 in Wellsburg with Route 7 in Brilliant. This gives an alternate route for many communities in northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio.

Day 1 – FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021

7:30 a.m. – Media begins to arrive, check-in and set up

8:30 a.m. – Bridge will be floated out to the middle of the river

9 a.m. – Bridge will be floated downriver between the piers in the river

11 a.m. – Bridge will turn 90 degrees

1 p.m. – Bridge will be pushed upriver and positioned ready for lifting into place

Day 2 – SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

3 a.m. – All systems and positioning will be checked

3:30 a.m. – Bridge will be lifted to the height needed to position over piers

11:30 a.m. – Once in the air, bridge will be pushed upstream over the bridge piers

12:30 p.m. – Once in position, bridge will be lowered onto the piers and positioned

3:30 p.m. – Once on the piers, jacking system will be lowered to clear bridge

4 p.m. – Barges with jacks will be pushed back upstream to barge slips. Once this action is completed, all river traffic will be cleared.