PROCTORVILLE, Ohio Ƶ A closure of one lane of the East Huntington bridge is causing traffic delays in Proctorville and Chesapeake and raising safety concerns for those trying to make it to HuntingtonƵs two hospitals, according to officials.
With barrels and equipment taking up one lane of the bridge, traffic can use only one lane of the span between Huntington and Proctorville, Ohio. The signals allow Proctorville traffic to use the span intermittently, followed by traffic moving north from Huntington to Ohio.
The lane closure is causing delays at that bridge as well as the Robert C. Byrd Bridge connecting Chesapeake and downtown Huntington.
Proctorville Mayor Bill Elliott, a paramedic for the Lawrence County Emergency Medical Services, said he has asked West Virginia Division of Highways to change the timing on the traffic signals to allow more traffic southbound in the morning and more traffic northbound in the evenings.
ƵItƵs affecting times to get to work,Ƶ Elliott said Wednesday. ƵItƵs affecting our economy in the village. ItƵs set up totally wrong.Ƶ
While some cars are waiting 30 minutes or more to cross the bridge, it took Ƶa good 20 minutesƵ for an ambulance to make it across the span, he said.
ƵMinutes matterƵ when dealing with cardiac and trauma cases, said Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Andy Ballard.
The traffic problems started Sunday when contractors set up the orange barrels on the bridge. One of the two lanes on the bridge will be closed until near the end of the month, according to the West Virginia Division of Highways. West Virginia owns and operates the span. Contractors will be inspecting the bridgeƵs suspension cables. The work could take four weeks.
While motorists are asked to use alternate routes, if possible, to minimize congestion, it is causing traffic problems in downtown Chesapeake.
The problem arose following a traffic crash on the bridge a week or two ago, Elliott said.
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