PRESTON COUNTY, W.Va. — The state Division of Highways has closed the Bull Run Road Bridge permanently citing deteriorating structural conditions.
The 113 year old bridge is in an isolated part of the county accessible mainly to four-wheel drive vehicles is a popular tourist attraction, but there are no homes or business that depend on it.
WVDOH District 4 Manager Earl Gaskins said the bridge was built before the WVDOH was established. In the 1930’s the bridge became a part of the WVDOH network and in the 1990’s a three ton weight limit was placed on it.
Over that time, repairs have been made to support it as a tourist attraction, but has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer considered safe for traffic.
“This bridge recently received its annual inspection, at which time a number of major deficiencies were identified resulting in severe safety concerns,” Gaskins said. “The deficiencies found were unrepairable and severe enough to deem the bridge unsafe for all vehicular traffic.”
Gaskins said there are no plans to repair or replace the bridge at this time.