This is a single suspension bridge from the Bridgemeister historical inventory of suspension bridges.
1849: Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia, USA - Ohio River
| Bridgemeister ID: | 32 (added before 2003) |
| Year Completed: | 1849 |
| Name: | Wheeling |
| Also Known As: | Wheeling and Belmont |
| Location: | Wheeling, West Virginia, USA |
| Crossing: | Ohio River |
| Coordinates: | 40.070250 N 80.727028 W |
| Maps: | Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap |
| Principals: | Charles Ellet |
| References: | AAJ, BBR, BC3, BOB, BPL, CEJ, COB, GBD, HBE, LAB, LACE, ONF, PTS2, RWS, WCC, WHSB |
| Use: | Vehicular (two-lane, light vehicles only) |
| Status: | Restricted to foot traffic, since September 2019 (last checked: 2025) |
| Main Cables: | Wire (iron) |
| Suspended Spans: | 1 |
| Main Span: | 1 x 307.8 meters (1,010 feet) |
Notes:
- Was still part of Virginia at time of completion.
- 1854: Rebuilt after it was wrecked by a windstorm. Contrary to popular myth, the rebuilding was undertaken by Ellet and his assistant William K. McComas, not by John A. Roebling.
- 1860: Overhauled. Popular myth often attributes this work to the Roeblings. WHSB attributes this work to William K. McComas. After this overhaul, the bridge still does not have the distinctive diagonal cable stays that give it the appearance of a Roebling bridge.
- 1872: Overhauled according to a design by Washington Roebling. John A. Roebling had died in 1869 and was not involved with this work. WHSB notes, "The design essentially Roeblingized the bridge with the diagonal cable stays that are such a prominent feature of the bridge."
- 2019, September: Closed to vehicular traffic indefinitely due to safety concerns after repeated overweight vehicle violations.
- 2020, November: Bids being evaluated for renovation project. Bridge remains closed to vehicular traffic.
- 2021, April: Single bid received was rejected. Bids expected to be resolicited in June. The bridge remains closed to all vehicular traffic.
- 2022, February: $17.9 million renovation project expected to start soon.
- Became longest suspension bridge by eclipsing 1834 Zaehringen (Grand Pont Suspendu) - Fribourg, Switzerland.
- Eclipsed by new longest suspension bridge 1867 John A. Roebling (Cincinnati, Cincinnati and Covington) - Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky, USA.
External Links:
Image Sets:
Stuart Brorson, Scott Bumgardner, Wayne Grodkiewicz, Jochem Hollestelle, Doug Lehman, and Patrick S. O'Donnell contributed to the information and/or images for this bridge.
Do you have any information or photos about this bridge that you would like to share? Please email david.denenberg@bridgemeister.com.
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