Parkersburg Bridge (CSX)

Parkersburg Bridge

The Parkersburg Bridge (foreground), the CSX Bridge (middle ground), and the Memorial Bridge (background), crossing the Ohio River, as viewed from Point Park in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Official name Parkersburg Bridge
Carries CSX Transportation
Crosses Ohio River
Locale Parkersburg, West Virginia
Maintained by CSX Transportation
Design truss bridge
Total length 7,140 feet (2,180 m)
Opened 1870

The Parkersburg Bridge crosses the Ohio River between Parkersburg, West Virginia, and Belpre, Ohio. The bridge has 46 spans; 25 deck plate girder, 14 deck truss, 6 through truss, and 1 through plate girder. The bridge was constructed in 1868-1870 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. When completed in 1870 the bridge was reportedly the longest in the world at 7,140 feet (2,180 m).

The approach spans were replaced 1898 - 1900, and the river spans were replaced 1904 - 1905. The original piers were retained. One channel span was replaced in 1972 after a barge transporting gasoline struck the channel pier.

The bridge was a part of the B&O's Baltimore - St. Louis mainline and offered the railroad easy access to Ohio in transporting coal and other materials to the east coast. Currently the bridge handles traffic on CSX Transportation's Marietta Subdivision.

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