BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Three chairs reserved for Ohio government officials sat empty Friday morning while a community was left seeking answers.
Dozens of community members, grassroots organizers and political leaders met for nearly two hours Friday morning to discuss ODOT’s lagging Blaine Hill Bridge project, but one vital group, ODOT, was absent.
Blaine Bridge Committee member Jeff Gazdik said his group organized the meeting last month and ODOT officials agreed to attend. However, on Tuesday, they said they had a prior commitment and would not attend after all.
Gazdik said he later spoke with Thomas Corey, Deputy Director for ODOT District 11 who had concerns about his agency taking “heat” in a public forum. Gazdik told Corey the bridge group was well-mannered and civil and that the sheriff would be present and could address any problems that might arise.
River News Network reached out to ODOT late Friday morning to ask why the agency skipped the meeting, but we did not hear back by the time of publication.
River News Network livestreamed the meeting on our Facebook page and saw some names of people viewing the meeting online were names of ODOT officials who were reportedly invited to attend but were absent.
You can view the full meeting here.
Ohio State District 96 Representative Ron Ferguson (R) attended today’s meeting and suggested officials look into if the Blaine Hill Bridge is designated historic by the state or federal government. Ferguson said perhaps some historic designations could be reviewed to determine if restrictions could be lifted and the construction timeline advanced.
Ferguson and safety officials also discussed if the bridge could be opened westbound or in both directions with a traffic light.
Representatives from U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno (R) and U.S. Congressman Michael Rulli’s (R) offices were also present to listen to residents’ concerns.
Belmont County Commissioner Vince Gianangeli said the Blaine Bridge Committee collected more than 1,200 signatures from residents who want the bridge reopened. He hopes their efforts will “speed up” the bridge work process. He said local residents and politicians have a voice, but the voice the state and national leaders present at today’s meeting is even louder and could yield positive results.
Business owners stated they are losing thousands of dollars in revenue due to the bridge closure.
Mary Jo Heaton, owner of Wash and Wags dog grooming in Blaine says she has suffered substantial business loss due to the bridge closure. She also said she and her neighbors are now shopping for groceries and household items in West Virginia rather than take the long detour onto I-70 into St. Clairsville.
Jake Henry, mobility manager for the Eastern Ohio and Ohio Valley Regional Transit Authority said the bridge closure hurts Ohio and West Virginia bus riders. He is unable to make accurate schedules for his passengers and calls the situation a “catastrophe.”
This is a catastrophe for us, not just an inconvenience.
Jake Henry, mobility manager for the Eastern Ohio and Ohio Valley Regional Transit Authority
Riesbeck’s Foods donated refreshments for the meeting and the committee prepared an extensive presentation with tech help from Bridgeport Schools.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) closed the Blaine Hill Bridge to one lane of traffic in July 2024 then shuttered it completely in August 2024 due to what they called rapid deterioration of the structure. ODOT said it had previous plans to rehabilitate the bridge in 2030. ODOT now expects the work to be completed by 2027.
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