BLUEFIELD, WV (LOOTPRESS)– The Grant Street Bridge in Bluefield will be renovated and replaced with a new bridge.
Interim City Manager and Attorney for Bluefield, Colin Cline, is relieved that the city can start construction. The first phase is to move power lines that could block constructors from replacing the bridge.
“The other issue is that some old utilities are on the existing Grant Street Bridge. Right now, crews are relocating old utilities,” said Cline.
The West Virginia Division of Highways and Brayman Construction contract includes demolition and reconstruction of Grant Street Bridge.
Cline says that the City of Bluefield could move forward with this project after the state and railroad company Norfolk Southern worked out a deal to gain access to the bridge. The task is also complicated because the bridge is situated over a busy rail system.
“That corridor is one of the busiest in North America,” said Cline.
The corridor Cline is talking about is the Heartland Corridor which links routes from the Midwest to the Port of Virginia.
No date is set for completion, according to Cline. The actual demolition of the bridge happened on July 23. Construction workers are now working on renovating the bridge. The road is still closed. More information about the completion date will be added once confirmed.