Frank Gatski Memorial Bridge | |
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| Coordinates | 38°26′01″N82°23′23″W / 38.43361°N 82.38972°W /38.43361; -82.38972 |
| Carries | 2 lanes of  WV 106 /SR 775 |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Huntington, West Virginia andProctorville, Ohio |
| Official name | Frank Gatski Memorial Bridge |
| Other name(s) | East Huntington Bridge, East End Bridge, 31st St Bridge |
| Maintained by | West Virginia Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Width | 40.0 ft (12.20 m) |
| Longest span | 900.0 ft (274.32 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | August 1985 |
| Location | |
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TheEast Huntington Bridge (officially theFrank Gatski Memorial Bridge, also called theEast End Bridge or the31st Street Bridge) is a 900-foot (270 m)cable-stayed bridge crossing theOhio River atHuntington, West Virginia. It carriesWest Virginia Route 106 on theWest Virginia approach andOH 775 on theOhio approach.[1]
The northern approach (fromOhio State Route 7) is the recently extendedOhio State Route 775; its southern terminus is a pair of ramps (northbound on-ramp from Fifth Avenue, southbound offramp to Third Avenue) connecting it toU.S. Route 60.
_at_Fifth_Avenue_(U.S._Route_60)_in_Huntington%2c_Cabell_County%2c_West_Virginia.jpg)
The history of the span dates to the early 1970s when possible routings for a futureOhio River span were being discussed. To conform to theHuntington city comprehensive plan, the alignment preferred by the city was one that connected toInterstate 64 outside of the city boundaries. Many favored a plan about one mile north of the city alongWV 2.
Work began on the bridge in 1983 and was completed in August 1985 at a cost of $38 million. The designer of the bridge was Arvid Grant and Associated ofOlympia, Washington and was the first bridge of its type inWest 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 aFHWA demonstration project.
TheOhio 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 toU.S. Route 60 four blocks east.
The bridge was renamed for Marshall University's first member of thePro Football Hall of Fame,Frank "Gunner" Gatski, during halftime of the Marshall-UTEP Football game on November 18, 2006.[2]
Crossings of theOhio River | ||||
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