Construction begins on McComas Road bridges

CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - People who live around McComas Road in Cabell County have wondered about when construction would start on the bridges along the road.

In the last few weeks, residents like Jan Hite King said crews have been out more than ever. The DOH said the two-year project will replace the three bridges which are at the end of their lifespan.

“I have had a lot of phone calls from bus drivers and truck drivers. They are seriously worried about these bridges and how safe they really are,” said King.

In August, WSAZ discovered on the Division of Highways project map website that construction and completion for the bridge were supposed to be in 2020.

King also spoke with WSAZ’s Kim Rafferty back in August about the bridge and concerns she had about it.

After the WSAZ story aired, the DOH announced construction would begin on the bridges around October of this year, and Monday that construction started.

The DOH said the contracting company, SMH Construction, received the railroad agreement that allowed the project to move forward.

“The first bridge at Roach is where we have seen the work,” King said. “When we saw one to two three people show up they can say that they are actually working on the bridge now when as before there was nobody there.”

The DOH said the bridges are safe to cross. WSAZ’s Kim Rafferty knocked on doors nearby and residents said they are concerned about the trucks and school buses that cross all three bridges.

King said she also takes calls about concerns for the bridge.

“They think that there should be a priority on these bridges to get them finished,” King said. “I am not going to complain we are just glad that they are going to start replacing these old decrepit bridges.”

A spokesperson with the DOH said this project will cost a little more than $5 million and the expected completion date is spring of 2025.

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