The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) has secured $65 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program to advance the Kanawha Valley Bridge Bundle, a two-project package targeting critical infrastructure in Kanawha County.
The bundle includes full replacement of the Dunbar Bridge over the Kanawha River between Dunbar and South Charleston, along with rehabilitation work on the Kanawha Turnpike I-64 overpass.
The Dunbar Bridge, a former toll facility constructed in 1953, has been identified as structurally deficient and functionally outdated. The project will involve complete demolition and replacement of the existing structure, representing the largest component of the bundle. While final design details have not been released, prior public meeting materials indicate the new crossing will be constructed on or near the existing alignment, requiring a full closure during construction.
Preliminary planning documents presented in 2024 suggest construction could begin as early as 2028, with an estimated 18-month closure of the bridge during the build. The duration points to a full replacement approach, which will require detours and coordination with local traffic and river activity.
In addition to the main span, the project scope is expected to include roadway tie-ins, approach work and utility coordination. Contractors should anticipate staging constraints typical of river crossings, along with potential environmental permitting requirements tied to in-water work.
The second component of the bundle focuses on the Kanawha Turnpike I-64 overpass bridge. According to WVDOT project listings, work on the structure is scheduled to begin Jan. 27, 2028, and continue for just over two years. The project carries an estimated cost of approximately $1.3 million, indicating a rehabilitation scope rather than full replacement.
Together, the projects reflect a bundling approach aimed at addressing multiple bridge needs within a single federal funding award. WVDOT has not yet released details on procurement, delivery method or whether the projects will be let as a single contract or separate contracts.
For contractors, key details remain outstanding, including final design, bid timing and traffic management plans. The anticipated full closure of the Dunbar Bridge during construction is likely to be a major consideration for both project planning and community impact.
Photo by Josh Stapler from Charleston, United States, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
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