NITRO, W.Va. — The state Division of Highways plans to open the new Interstate 64 bridge across the Kanawha River between Nitro and St. Albans during a ceremony set for Friday afternoon.
The bridge, which is part of a several mile long interstate widening project, has been under construction for more than a year.
DOH Chief Engineer Jason Hamilton says the bridge will open to westbound traffic for a brief period of time Friday afternoon and then close Friday to allow contractors to get everything in place for a full switchover for westbound traffic set for some time on Saturday.
“They’ll have to pave in and get everything matched up so you can easily transition over from where you are in westbound now onto the new bridge and get striping in there as well,” Hamilton said Wednesday on the state Department of Transportation’s “WV On the DOT” podcast.
Hamilton said westbound traffic will reduced to one lane Friday night at around 8 o’clock.
Officials said eastbound traffic will continue to use the old bridge for several more days until the transition can be made to the new bridge. Contractors will then de-construct the old bridge and start building a second new bridge next year. Eventually eastbound traffic will travel across the second new bridge once it’s finished.
Hamilton said dismantling the old bridge will be done without any blasting.
“The center span over the river will be lowered down to barges in a reverse of the center span on the new westbound bridge that lifted from barges,” he said.
The $225 million project includes the widening of the interstate from six lanes from Nitro to Teays Valley.