Area residents and visitors to Woodland Cemetery could see the bridge opened by next year’s Memorial Day events.

Wednesday, May 31, 2000

Area residents and visitors to Woodland Cemetery could see the bridge opened by next year’s Memorial Day events.

While the crumbling support beams caused the bridge to close last year and, as a result, throughout last weekend’s Memorial Day celebrations and honor events, the original schedule set by the city calls for the bridge to reopen as early as January 2001.

For now, however, the bridge is closed –  as is the Ironton entrance to the historic cemetery.

"The bridge will remain closed to vehicles, but it is open to bicycles and pedestrians," said city engineer Joe McCallister, who is in charge of the project. "This is for the safety of the residents."

Structural deterioration beneath the bridge’s surface has weakened it considerably, he said. In some places, rusted metal has fallen away, leaving holes in major support beams.

"Two major structural members have failed and that weakens the bridge considerably," he said.

The total project will cost an estimated $700,000. With city budget constraints, that funding will have to come from outside sources, such as Issue 2 grants, McCallister said.

The federal grant dollars will only pick up part of the tab, he added.

"The Issue 2 grant is really just to get the the engineering and the construction match for the Ohio Department of Transportation bridge repair money, which pays 80 percent of construction only," McCallister explained. "The Issue 2 grant will be for around $200,000."

Reopening the bridge, even temporarily for an event like Memorial Day weekend, would have been dangerous to everyone, city officials said.

Although city officials said they understand the inconvenience of having the only Ironton-side access to the cemetery closed to vehicles, it is outweighed due to safety concerns.

"Throughout this project, we have done everything we can to expedite the process," Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary said. "I know the bridge is widely used, and that it could have been helpful to many people over the holiday weekend. But, when it comes down to a question of the residents’ safety, we have no choice but to take the appropriate measures."

According to the original schedule, construction is expected to begin this month, July at the latest, on the bridge that connects Ironton with Coal Grove through Woodland Cemetery.

The bridge is about 110 years old.