The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) has awarded an expedited contract for repairs and an asphalt overlay on the Fort Hill Bridge in Charleston
Work on the span, which also includes application of a protective membrane beneath the asphalt, is expected to be complete by the end of November and to start within the next few weeks.
Triton Construction Inc. was awarded a contract for $6,674,000 to make deck repairs on the concrete-decked bridge, put down an impermeable membrane to help keep water from the old deck, and lay down a thick layer of asphalt to minimize wear on the 50-year-old bridge until the entire deck can be replaced within the next year or so.
“This is not a permanent fix,” said Transportation Secretary Todd Rumbaugh, P.E. “Our hope is this membrane will extend the life of the bridge deck through the winter, preventing lane closures and additional deck repairs.”
During the spring and summer of 2025, WVDOH bridge engineers patched a series of potholes that developed in the bridge deck. Bridge crews embarked on a nighttime program of preventative patching on the concrete deck while developing the overlay project.
Bridge engineers fast-tracked the overly design project and put the contract out for bid in early September.