Gaysport Bridge ‘Officially’ Open

BLUE ROCK, Ohio – A newly-opened, remotely-located, bridge across the Muskingum River drew several dignitaries from across the state that were associated with its construction to celebrate its completion.

Muskingum County Engineer Mark Eicher spoke about the estimated, $7.25-Million Gaysport Bridge project and how it plays a vital role in distributing traffic across the southern portion of the county.

“When we started looking at replacing this bridge, there were a lot of decisions that had to be made,” Eicher said. “We felt like it was a vital part of the community. When there’s problems on State Route 60, or construction on 60 here, then this bridge gets used a lot. So we felt like there were a lot of reasons to replace it. Not only for the construction on 60 and when that is happening but also for the community that lives on the other side of the bridge. So we went ahead and decided to replace it. And like I said, it was a lot of thought and a lot of time that went into that decision.”

Eicher noted that the project finished 11 months ahead of schedule and credited that feat to good weather and the diligence of the project’s contractor, Shelly and Sands.

He also talked about the construction process and how it will last for decades to come.

“The old bridge was made of weathering steel and was built in 1971. So we got 50-years out of it. I was not happy with that and any structure I put up, I like to use either galvanized steel or concrete. This bridge is made of galvanized steel and concrete. So I expect the life expectancy of this bridge to be for 75 to 80 years. And a lot of discussion about the design, the structure. A lot of thought (about) the engineering and design went into the type of structure we put out here,” Eicher said.

Aside from the County Engineer’s Office, the Muskingum County Commissioners, U.S. Congressman Troy Balderson, representatives from the state of Ohio, as well as Shelly and Sands were on hand to celebrate the official opening.