TRAIL LINK PURSUED — Brooke County Commissioners listened Tuesday as Mike Paprocki, standing, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, solicited their support for a grant application to determine an Ohio River crossing for a system of trails in the three counties. — Warren Scott
WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission was asked Tuesday to support a grant application to determine an Ohio River crossing for a proposed system of trails in Hancock, Jefferson and Brooke counties.
Mike Paprocki, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, told the commission efforts to gather support from local governments for a federal ReConnect grant for the trail study failed, so he’s trying again with another grant.
As with the first grant, this one requires a $125,000 local match that could be divided among the counties and cities involved, he said.
Paprocki said the grant would fund a study that would look at the feasibility of trail links using the Market Street Bridge, Browns Island or the new Ohio River bridge under construction between Wellsburg and Brilliant.
The new span includes a lane designated for bicyclists with a link to the Brooke County Pioneer Trail just below the bridge.
Paprocki acknowledged there’s a walkway along the Market Street Bridge for pedestrians but said use by bicyclists is hindered by the steps at each end.
Asked whether other local governments have supported the grant application, Paprocki said the Hancock County Commission did not and a majority of Steubenville Council had opposed it but appeared ready to reconsider, but only if it involves the Market Street Bridge.
Jefferson County Commissioners expressed apprehension last week, while Weirton Council was presented the proposal but didn’t act on it.
Paprocki said he intends to approach the Jefferson County Commissioners again as well as Follansbee Council.
He suggested using the Market Street Bridge as part of the trail system would ensure its future. He said the span’s existence will be “an open question” after the new Ohio River bridge opens.
Paprocki said while the span is safe now, there are concerns about its future condition.
“There could be structural problems in the future where no matter what you throw at it, it’s going to have to be a new structure as well,” he said.
Officials with the West Virginia Department of Transportation on Tuesday didn’t return calls for comment.
The advancing age of the Market Street Bridge, which was built in 1905, and the Fort Steuben Bridge were cited as reasons for the new Ohio River bridge in a study commissioned by BHJ in 2000.
The Fort Steuben Bridge, then 72 years old, has since been closed and demolished, but the Market Street Bridge underwent $16.5 million in renovations in 2010 after local officials appealed to the state for its continued service.
On Tuesday, County Commissioner Stacey Wise told Paprocki she doesn’t support closing the bridge only so it can become a bicycle crossing.
Commission President A.J. Thomas said he supports establishing a trail link on it but not closing it to vehicles.
“I can get behind the idea of the project but I don’t want it to be the final nail in the coffin for the bridge,” said Thomas.
County Commissioner Tim Ennis said, “Even if you do get across the Market Street Bridge (on bicycle), you still have major obstacles that could be more complicated than crossing the Ohio River.”
Officials with BHJ have talked of creating a bicycle route from the bridge to Market and Fourth Streets and Franklin Avenue to Belleview Park, eventually tying into the Conotton Creek Trail.
Wise said the conversion of former railroad beds for recreational use has been a positive thing but the lack of rail in some areas has stifled some opportunities for economic development.
Also on Tuesday, the commission agreed to accept $80,000 from the Brooke County school board for each of three sheriff’s deputies to serve as school resource officers, should the board consider entertaining that.
County Prosecutor Joe Barki said representatives of the board had appeared to agree to that figure when he and other county officials met with them for private negotiations on Sept. 20.
But at its Sept. 26 meeting, the school board instead accepted Superintendent Jeffrey Crook’s recommendation that it pay $67,700 for each officer.
On Monday, the school board agreed to advertise for an officer on its own to serve Brooke Primary South in Wellsburg and Brooke Intermediate South on state Route 27.
Crook, who was called for comment, said the salary for the new officer hasn’t been determined. He said arrangements have been made for a Follansbee police officer to establish a presence at the primary schools in the city and Hooverson Heights.
The school district currently contributes to the cost of a Wellsburg police officer serving at the middle school and employs a former sheriff’s deputy as a resource officer at the high school as well as security guards at other schools.