File Photo SUSPENSION BRIDGE — Officials from the state of West Virginia on Monday announced that a $17.9 million contract had been awarded to repair and renovate the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge, which has remained closed since 2019 after overweight vehicles caused damage to the span.

WHEELING — Wheeling city officials were thrilled to hear word from the state Monday that a bid had been awarded to repair and rehabilitate the city’s historic Suspension Bridge.

The West Virginia Division of Highways and the office of W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice announced on Monday that a contract had been awarded to Advantage Steel & Construction LLC for $17,907,147 to make the necessary repairs to the Wheeling Suspension Bridge’s superstructure and substructure. The rehabilitation project will also replace any damaged suspension cables, renovate lighting, perform cleaning and complete painting of the bridge.

“It is absolutely fantastic news for the city of Wheeling to know that its most iconic structure, the Suspension Bridge, is going to be fully repaired and rehabilitated,” Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott said on Monday. “I applaud the effort of the governor and his team at the Division of Highways to secure the funding for this critical project. Without his leadership, the future of this irreplaceable public treasure could have remained in jeopardy.”

The future of the historic 1849 bridge had remained in limbo over the past two years. The bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since motorists repeatedly ignored Division of Highways weight restrictions and warnings on the structure.

In June of 2019, an overweight commercial passenger bus crossed the bridge and got stuck on the barrier. The bus damaged the bridge, leading to a temporary closure. The bridge reopened a handful of times after the bus incident, only to be closed again each time after similar mishaps occurred. This led to the indefinite closure of the span in September of that year, and it has not reopened since then.

Despite the fact that the state is committing nearly $18 million to repair and renovate the Suspension Bridge, state officials noted that contractors will not know whether it is damaged too badly to safely reopen to vehicles. Crews will have to begin work on the bridge before the extent of the damage can be gauged, officials indicated, and only then will the future use of the span officially be determined.

State officials had put the renovation project out to bid last year. However, only a single bid was received for the work in 2020, and the West Virginia Division of Highways rejected the bid in December because it far exceeded the engineer’s estimate for the work.

The most recent bid letting on Aug. 10 garnered three submissions, with Advantage Steel & Construction LLC of Butler County, Pa., securing the contract.

“I’m excited that this incredibly important project to rehabilitate the Wheeling Suspension Bridge is now in the works,” Gov. Justice said. “This bridge is a landmark piece of our state’s history, and I am fully committed to doing all we can to preserve it for generations to come. Through our work on this project, we will restore the bridge back to its historic beauty so it can continue to connect the great community of Wheeling to the world for generations to come.”

The Suspension Bridge has served the Wheeling community for many generations in its 172-year history. The 1,300-foot span connecting downtown Wheeling with Wheeling Island was originally part of the National Road — the first major improved highway in the United States that ran from Maryland to Illinois, the governor’s office noted. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its construction, and the main passageway to the West.

“This bridge is an icon,” Deputy Commissioner of Highways Jimmy Wriston said. “Being able to preserve that structure is important, not only to the city of Wheeling but to the state as a whole.”

State officials said contractors will repair and renovate the bridge in hopes of repairing it to the point where it can be reopened to motorists.

The Suspension Bridge repairs are expected to be completed along with other major traffic artery improvements and multimillion-dollar investments in Wheeling begin spearheaded by the state, including the ongoing Interstate 70 Bridge project and the highly anticipated Wheeling Downtown Streetscape Project.

“As I’ve said many times, I truly believe that Wheeling is an area full of so much potential it’s unbelievable,” Justice said. “I will continue to do everything in my power to help draw people in to experience all the goodness that Wheeling and the entire Northern Panhandle has to offer.”