Drivers will have to find another way to cross the Kanawha River in Putnam County starting today. The Winfield Bridge will be closed for nearly five months for repairs and painting.
WINFIELD, W.Va. -- As of midnight Sunday, the Winfield Bridge is closed to all traffic until late August.
The bridge, also known as the Ross Booth Memorial Bridge, closed for painting and repairs. It is scheduled to reopen Aug. 20.
County drivers commuting from the north side of the Kanawha River between the areas of Red House, Eleanor and Winfield will be detoured onto W.Va. 62 and W.Va. 817 to the Buffalo Bridge or the Nitro or St. Albans interchange on Interstate 64.
In anticipation of possible accidents, Putnam County Emergency Services will have an ambulance stationed in the Fraziers Bottom and Poca area during peak traffic times, said Cecil Kimble, director of Putnam County Ambulance Service.
"It's just during rush hour time until we get a handle on the traffic flow and the patterns, and everyone gets used to the bridge being closed," Kimble said.
Kimble said he plans to have the ambulances available on the north side of the river for about two weeks.
"We expect there to be some pretty heavy traffic delays, and we just want to be able to have those trucks situated where they're able to respond and not get too bottled up with everything," he said.
Peak traffic times are from about 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, he said.
WINFIELD, W.Va. -- As of midnight Sunday, the Winfield Bridge is closed to all traffic until late August.
The bridge, also known as the Ross Booth Memorial Bridge, closed for painting and repairs. It is scheduled to reopen Aug. 20.
County drivers commuting from the north side of the Kanawha River between the areas of Red House, Eleanor and Winfield will be detoured onto W.Va. 62 and W.Va. 817 to the Buffalo Bridge or the Nitro or St. Albans interchange on Interstate 64.
In anticipation of possible accidents, Putnam County Emergency Services will have an ambulance stationed in the Fraziers Bottom and Poca area during peak traffic times, said Cecil Kimble, director of Putnam County Ambulance Service.
"It's just during rush hour time until we get a handle on the traffic flow and the patterns, and everyone gets used to the bridge being closed," Kimble said.
Kimble said he plans to have the ambulances available on the north side of the river for about two weeks.
"We expect there to be some pretty heavy traffic delays, and we just want to be able to have those trucks situated where they're able to respond and not get too bottled up with everything," he said.
Peak traffic times are from about 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, he said.
The county EMS will also have an extra ambulance stationed in Eleanor for the five months the bridge is closed, Kimble said. The county has rented a work trailer for the extra ambulance crew until August, he said.
Kimble warned residents to be patient and careful when traveling on W.Va. 62, which is a two-lane road that cuts through the county from Nitro to the Mason County line.
"If there is an accident, and we're hoping there aren't, we will attempt to clear it as quickly as possible," Kimble said. "People are just going to have to be as patient as possible until everyone gets used to this."
The bridge, which crosses the Kanawha River and connects the towns of Winfield and Eleanor, was built in 1955. Its condition has been a concern for some residents for nearly a decade.
In March, construction crews closed one lane of the bridge at night in preparation of its complete closure today.
Putnam County Sheriff Mark Smith said he does not plan to station additional deputies on W.Va. 62 this week to help with traffic.
"People are just going to have to be patient," he said.
Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.
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