East End Bridge (Huntington)
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| East Huntington Bridge | |
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| Carries | 2 lanes of WV 106 / OH 607 |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Huntington, West Virginia and Proctorville, Ohio |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Longest span | 274.32 meters |
| Width | 12.20 meters |
| Opening date | August 1985 |
The East Huntington Bridge (also called the East End Bridge, Frank Gatski Memorial Bridge or the 31st Street Bridge) is a 900 foot cable-stayed bridge crossing the Ohio River at Huntington, West Virginia. It carries WV 106 on the West Virginia approach and OH 607 on the Ohio approach. The latter also carries the route for one mile (1.6 km) before terminating at a stub which will later connect to OH 7.
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[edit] History
The history of the span dates to the early 1970s when possible routings for a future Ohio River span were being discussed. To conform to the Huntington city comprehensive plan, the alignment preferred by the city was one that connected to Interstate 64 outside of the city boundaries. Many favored a plan about one mile north of the city along WV 2.
Work began on the bridge in 1983 and was completed in August of 1985 at a cost of $38 million. The designer of the bridge was Arvid Grant and Associated of Olympia, Washington and was the first bridge of its type in West Virginia. It was only the second of its kind in the United States since it utilized concrete instead of steel for its construction. It was built as a FHWA demonstration project.
The Ohio River span and approach ramps on both sides of the river completed was what was known as Phase I. Future plans involved tolling the bridge and connecting it to U.S. Highway 60 four blocks east [1]
The bridge was renamed for Marshall University's first member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Frank "Gunner" Gatski, during halftime of the Marshall-UTEP Football game on November 18, 2006 [2].
[edit] Gallery
 View from the Guyandotte, WV boat dock |
 Rendering of the East Huntington Bridge showing Phase II |
 A barge approaching |
 Autumn view from the Guyandotte boat dock |
 Night view from Bradrick, OH |
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