BROOKE COUNTY, W.Va. — With the new Pure Watercraft facility and others creating development in areas like Brooke and Hancock counties, there’s now a magnified push for the finish of the nearby Wellsburg-Brilliant Bridge.
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito say it’s a vital resource to manufacturing facilities like the one in Beech Bottom now occupied by the electric pontoon manufacturer.
"I guess my job next time I talk to the governor is get the bridge open please, as soon as possible," Capito said.
Pure Watercraft plans to bring in hundreds of jobs by 2025, which creates a need for better transportation methods to and from work.
“If you look back at the history of Weirton Steel, maybe 60-65 percent of its employees came from West Virginia and the remainder came from both Ohio and Pennsylvania,” W.Va. Sen. Ryan Weld said. “So that bridge there opens up this site for people in Ohio to really take advantage. If you live in Brilliant, you can now be here in 10 minutes.”
Pure Watercraft CEO and Founder Andy Rebele says the bridge will only add to the value of their investment.
"The bridge was a bonus,” he said. “I didn't know about it when we made the decision, but it’s really going to open up the employment market across the river to the Ohio side as well."
They add this will also aid with transportation of materials like battery packs, as well as their shipments out east.
For now, the West Virginia Division of Highways is projecting drivers to be crossing the bridge by the end of the year.