Wednesday, November 20, 2024

1954+1979 I-77 C.H. Charlton Bridges over Bluestone River

Both: (no Historic Bridges; B&TSatellite, 202 photos)
1954 SB: (Archived Bridge Hunter) rehabilitated 1983

Boston Public Library Flickr via BridgeHunter-1954, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)
Also wvhistory

Was the above colorized postcard based on this photo? "The Charlton Memorial Bridge towers 246 feet over the Bluestone Gorge." [wvhistory]

1 of 4 photos posted by Bridges & Tunnels
The Charlton Memorial Bridges carry the West Virginia Turnpike and Interstate 77 over the Bluestone River in Mercer County, West Virginia.
A 35-mile segment of the new West Virginia Turnpike from Princeton to Beckley—and a major bridge over the Bluestone River in Mercer County, was dedicated on September 2, 1954. It was dedicated to Sgt. Cornelius Charlton, a World War II hero from East Gulf who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously.
Studies were undertaken to upgrade the Turnpike in the early 1970s, and work to upgrade the highway to four lanes had commenced because of escalating traffic counts and congestion, and because of a high number of accidents. The update was also needed because of the proposal to route Interstate 77 over the Turnpike. A parallel bridge to the original Charlton Bridge for northbound traffic was completed in 1979, and the original circa 1954 Charlton Bridge was rehabilitated in 1983.
➤ Check out more from the Charlton Bridges at

Jul 2016 Photo by Royce and Bobette Haley via BridgeHunter-1954
Looking North-Background span is SB
[The older truss is a lot deeper than the newer one.]

Richard Hurd Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)
C.H. Charlton Bridge, WV Turnpike, 07-19-2014 2118
The Charlton Memorial Bridge over the Bluestone Gorge on the West Virginia Turnpike on a misty July morning in 2014
 
zaubee

It is nice to see that it has a fresh paint job.
Street View, Jul 2022

Although it was needed.
Street View, Jun 2011



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