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The Robert C. Byrd Bridge is a 720 foot continuous truss automobile bridge that crosses the Ohio River between Huntington, West Virginia and Chesapeake, Ohio. The crossing was constructed to replace an old, narrow two lane structure that was demolished after 69 years of service in a spectatular implosion on July 17, 1995. The previous bridge, opened in 1926, was Huntington's first bridge across the Ohio River and was designed in a gothic style, complete with four two-ton spires that rested on top of each peak.
The ground breaking ceremonies for the four-lane bridge was held on April 30, 1991. James Watkins of the Ohio Department of Transportation stated on this date that the design and construction of the Ohio State Highway 7 bypass would begin in 1996 (it would not begin until 2000). The old bridge closed in the summer of 1993 to allow for the construction of the ramps on the West Virginia and Ohio side. The new bridge–named the Robert C. Byrd Bridge under an executive order from then-Governor Gaston Caperton to honor the U.S. senator from West Virginia who is credited with obtaining the funding for the project–was completed on November 6, 1994. The $32.6 million bridge was constructed with $1.4 coming from Ohio, $5.6 coming from West Virginia, and $25.3 in federal funds.
