The work started on February 26 of this year on the Clayton Memorial Bridge spanning Clifford Hollow just east of Moorefield. According to the West Virginia Department of Highways announcement at the time, work was set to conclude last month.
Ever since, traffic has had to slow to 55 mph in both directions with only one lane open in each direction. Over the summer, work came to a halt and questions began to mount locally over the status of the bridge.
Hardy County Commission President Steven Schetrom released a statement on Facebook last week. He had engaged the Department of Highways on the construction status of the bridge and shared their response.
The agency response stated that “there were issues regarding the work performed and the expected life of the concrete overlay. Unfortunately in situations such as this, and to be fair to the contractor and ensure that the public’s interest is best served, many entities are involved in determining the best course of action.”
Without sharing specifics about the issues and work moving forward, the Department of Highways told Commission President Schetrom that “I am pleased to inform you that there has been resolution and the contractor returned to work on the bridge on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Work is expected to continue and be completed this fall.”
The Inter-Mountain has reported that Corridor H has presented unique challenges that sometimes required special designs for some of the bridges along the course of the highway. Unstable ground has also caused problems with pier foundations in some areas and some bridges, especially near Elkins, required remediation.
The span of the bridge over Clifford Hollow extends over 1,500 feet and stands over 300 feet above the valley surface below. It was completed in 2003.
The bridge alone cost over $17 million while the highway segments extending onto the mountainside east and west bound cost over $50 million to finish. The Department of Highways described the original construction of the span on its website.
It stated that “During construction, the area atop the mountain was the assembly site for the mammoth bridge. The giant metal skeleton grew—sometimes at the rate of 20 feet or more every hour—and slowly slid across the ground until it was launched toward the next mountaintop. The technique protected the existing environment by assembling beams, bolts and cross-bracing in sections up to 275 feet in length, then ‘launching in place.’”
The statement went on to describe that “four hydraulic cylinders powered each bridge section across some 400 feet of track rollers until it cantilevered out over the valley. A kingpost frame in the assembly area provided a cable-stay to the end of the bridge section and “emergency brakes”—chains at the abutment—allowed it to back up the track, if necessary. The cantilevered sections were fastened down with temporary cables to guard against movement by strong wind in the valley. As they reached the piers, the sections rested on temporary rollers that were eventually removed as the completed bridge was jacked up, then down onto permanent seats.”
