WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTRF) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore-Capito (R-WV) released a letter she wrote Jan. 11 to U.S. Department of Transportation Pete Buttigieg supporting federal funding to replace the Market Street Bridge.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) closed the bridge to vehicular and pedestrian traffic Dec. 21, 2023 after it failed a routine safety inspection.
Capito says she supports the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways’ (WVDOH) application for federal funding through the Bridge Investment Program (BIP) for the Market Street Bridge.
According to Capito, “Approving this grant would allow the construction for the full replacement of a critical bridge along the Ohio River in Brooke County, West Virginia. This structure is a critical piece of infrastructure for the metropolitan area in and around Weirton, WV.”
Capito explains that the current closure shuts down the main route between the Weirton, West Virginia and Steubenville, Ohio area. She says the bridge allows “disadvantaged communities to gain access to medical facilities, food and jobs, while providing safe reliable infrastructure for active modes of transportation is imperative for the area.”