Bridges of the Kanawha and New River Valleys
Over the past several months, I have spent a considerable amount of time criss-crossing West Virginia, primarily focusing in the Kanawha and New River valleys, to photograph waterfalls, early spring foliage and coal camps. But along the way, I revisited some of my favorite bridges and captured some new ones.
One of my favorite is the
New River Gorge Bridge that carries US 19 over the New River. It is the largest arch bridge in the Western Hamisphere and the second highest crossing in the United States. The now-iconic bridge was immortalized when it was depicted on the West Virginia state quarter and on the state’s welcome signage.
Below: The New River Gorge Bridge bathed in early morning sunlight.
In the shadows of the New River Gorge Bridge is the
Fayette Station Bridge. The Fayette Station Bridge crosses New River, connecting the now non-existant communities of Fayette and South Fayette. The truss span was contracted out to the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company of Roanoke, Virginia 1in 1889, but the actual builder may have been the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio. It was the first vehicular bridge over the New in the county.
In March 1978, less than one year after the New River Gorge Bridge was completed, the Fayette Station Bridge was closed to vehicular traffic due to deteriorating conditions. Reconstruction of the bridge occurred between 1997 and 1998, and during its refurbishment, the piers were rebuilt and a new bridge deck was installed. Two exterior pedestrian walkways were also constructed. The Fayette Station Bridge was rededicated on November 8, 1998 as the Tunney Hansaker Bridge and today carries southbound West Virginia Secondary Route 82.
Below: I have previously covered the span, but opted to drive down around midnight for this eerie photograph.
Much further downstream is the
Kanawha Falls Bridge, a long, narrow and old, my favorite characteristics of any bridge. Crossing the Kanawha River downstream of Kanawha Falls, the green hued bridge was constructed in 1929 for the Kanawha Falls Bridge Company, and connects US 60 to Boonesborough. The tolled facility resulted in the termination of the Kanawha Falls ferry that had been in operation for 125 years.
The bridge was purchased by the West Virginia Department of Highways in 1977, renovated in 1979 and partially renovated in 1999. The Kanawha Falls Bridge consists of three Pennsylvania through trusses, 265-feet, 400-feet and 265-feet in length, and a riveted deck girder span at 55 feet in length.
Studies began in the 2000s on either replacement or rehabilitation of the Kanawha Falls Bridge due to structural deterioration. In 2012, a decision was made to rehabilitate the existing bridge in the current location at a cost of around $15 million.
Nearby is a
Virginian Railroad overpass is located on West Virginia Route 61, and was constructed originally for the Virginian Railroad in 1930. The steel stringer overpass is now used by Norfolk Southern.
The
RJ Corman Bridge spans the New River at Thurmond. The New River Bridge Company, owned by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad (C&O) director A.A. Low, began construction of a triple-span iron truss upon stone piers in 1888. The crossing was finished two years later and deeded to the C&O for one dollar. By late 1893, what became the Loup Creek branch was completed to Glen Jean, and to Macdonald by January 1894.
In 1915, a new polygonal Warren through truss was constructed on the north end of the span, where new concrete piers replaced the stone piers. A new automobile lane was attached. Additional improvements to the automobile lane was completed in 1951. After a mine closed at Siltex in the 1980s, the Loup Creek branch was closed to traffic until the line was rehabilitated in 1994 to serve a Georgia Pacific facility and Austin Powder at Packs Branch. In 2006, further work was completed for a new coal run originating from Pax. The branch is now operated by R.J. Corman.
Nearby at Nuttallburg, a former coal mining complex and town, was the
Nuttallburg Bridge that once spanned the New River. The pedestrian bridge was constructed by the Roebling Bridge Company in 1899 and abandoned by the 1960s.
West Virginia has many miles of fantastic
rail-to-trails, or railroads that have been abandoned and converted into recreational corridors. Most of the trails are not paved, and many contain impressive bridges and tunnels that make any trip exciting. And quite a few of them have remnants of their coal mining past remaining, whether it is abandoned mine portals or discarded equipment.
One of those is the former
Chesapeake & Ohio Hawk's Nest Subdivision, which is now a rail-to-trail. Constructed in 1875 and abandoned in 1972, this branch contains one significant bridge over Mill Creek. The original was a wooden truss, which was replaced in 1891 with a heavier span and later a plate girder.
Another is the
Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier Railway (NF&G), a paper railroad that was named after the three counties it served. The ICC created the NF&G in 1929 to resolve claims by the C&O and the New York Central (NYC) to serve newly developing mines in the Sewall seam in the remote areas north of the New River and along the Meadow River. Between Swiss and Nallen was 28 miles of virgin timber and mining opportunities. The newly formed railroad constructed a single track line between the two towns, which included two tunnels and two trestles, between 1929 and 1931. Profiled is the
Koontz Bridge and 3,164-foot
Koontz Tunnel.
The facilities were last used in 1996 and are part of a rail-to-trail in the Gauley River National Recreation Area.
Enjoy these long-needed updates to the Mountain State!