2006: The Introduction of a “Signature Bridge” in the Buckeye State

October 16, 2006

The second version of the U.S. Grant Bridge in southern Ohio was officially inaugurated. This two-lane, cable-stayed bridge carries U.S. Route 23 across the Ohio River and serves as a link between city of Portsmouth in Ohio and the community of South Portsmouth (near the city of South Shore) in Kentucky.

This structure replaced a suspension bridge that first went into service in 1927 and was likewise named after the man who achieved fame as both the victorious commanding general of the Union Army during the American Civil War and the 18^th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. (Ulysses S. Grant was born in the community of Point Pleasant in southern Ohio in 1822.) The original U.S. Grant Bridge was permanently closed to traffic on July 3, 2001, and torn down just a few months later. Construction on its replacement began that same year.  

The noontime opening of the new U.S. Grant Bridge took place after a ceremony that was jointly hosted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the city of Portsmouth, and the Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce. Harry Fry, deputy director of ODOT’s District 9 (serving that region of Ohio), highlighted the significance of what was the first cable-stayed bridge in the Buckeye State.

“The community has waited a long while to open the new bridge, and today’s grand opening  marks a major milestone in ODOT’s history,” said Fry. “Although the project was not without some construction and weather-related challenges that spurred a delay, these issues were met with a commitment to complete the project and a goal toward equality.” Fry further asserted, “As a result both the state of Ohio and the city of Portsmouth have a signature bridge that can be treasured for years to come.”

Photo Credit: Chris Light (licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en)

For more information on the second (and current) version of the U.S. Grant Bridge in Ohio, please check out https://structurae.net/en/structures/general-us-grant-bridge-2006