By Stephen Baldwin
The Real WV, www.therealwv.com
The City of Ronceverte has been awarded nearly $6 million in Congressionally Directed Spending by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Sen. Jim Justice. The funds are for the demolition and rebuilding of the Fred Workman Bridge, which spans from the downtown area to the Island Park by the Greenbrier River.
“In 2021, the City was awarded a grant from Sen. Capito’s office that allowed for an engineering study on the bridge, which was utilized in the most recent application,” said Mayor Deena Pack. “We anticipate that we will be contacted soon to start moving forward on the project. Necessary steps will include selecting an engineering firm to oversee the project and work with the administering federal agency to disperse funds as required.”
Pack says the city will work with CSX to ensure the safe removal of the Fred Workman Bridge as it currently stands before next obtaining the necessary permissions to build a pedestrian bridge. While proposals to rehabilitate the current bridge and/or build a bridge capable of vehicular traffic were considered, the most cost-effective solution for which the city could obtain the funds was for demolition of the current structure and construction of a bridge that will allow pedestrian traffic to flow from downtown to the area around the Island Park, which contains river access, sports fields, a dog park, mini golf, picnic shelters, a playground, and a splash pad.
“The importance of creating a bridge to connect the Island Park and downtown Ronceverte cannot be overstated and will be invaluable to the City’s growth and success for years to come,” Pack noted.
She also thanked all those who worked together with the city to make the funding possible. “The City has received significant encouragement from Region 4 and Ruthana Beezley, Executive Director of Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, as well as from local leaders who have written recommendation letters. The City of Ronceverte has also been very lucky that the wonderful team members in Senator Capito’s office have been willing to meet with City officials multiple times over the last several years and have been instrumental in seeing the vision for the City of Ronceverte and working with the City to achieve those goals. “
Sen. Capito shared her excitement for the project, saying, “This project has been a long time coming, and it will make an enormous difference for the people who call Ronceverte home. Reestablishing this connection will provide a safe route to Island Park, improve access across downtown, and offer a critical evacuation option for residents during flooding events. I’m proud that I could help in assisting in efforts to help move this project forward, and I look forward to seeing the impact it will have for years to come.”
Stay tuned to RealWV for updates as the demolition and reconstruction project progresses.
