Today in Wheeling History: August 22--Governor William Wallace Barron and the state roads commissioner broke ground on the Wheeling Tunnel project, marking the start of construction for what was then the largest single project in West Virginia's Interstate Highway program. (1963)
The Wheeling Tunnel, located in Wheeling, West Virginia, is a pair of twin tunnels carrying Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 250 through Wheeling Hill. Construction began on August 22, 1963, under Governor William Wallace Barron, with C.J. Langenfelder & Son of Baltimore awarded the contract. The tunnels, each 0.27 miles long, opened to traffic on December 7, 1966, at a cost of $6.9 million. They feature industrial tile lining and two lanes in each direction. A major renovation project, initiated in 2005, began in January 2007 and faced significant delays and challenges, including tile adhesion issues and the discovery of an old coal mine. Despite controversies and suggestions to close the tunnels, the project continued, with the eastbound tunnel reopening on October 31, 2008, and the westbound tunnel completed in September 2010. The renovation, originally planned for 6 months, took over three years and cost $13.7 million, more than double the initial estimate.
To learn more: (https://tinyurl.com/48nchsaw) (https://tinyurl.com/yurfdu4x) (https://tinyurl.com/2p9vzn4d)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV
The Wheeling Tunnel, located in Wheeling, West Virginia, is a pair of twin tunnels carrying Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 250 through Wheeling Hill. Construction began on August 22, 1963, under Governor William Wallace Barron, with C.J. Langenfelder & Son of Baltimore awarded the contract. The tunnels, each 0.27 miles long, opened to traffic on December 7, 1966, at a cost of $6.9 million. They feature industrial tile lining and two lanes in each direction. A major renovation project, initiated in 2005, began in January 2007 and faced significant delays and challenges, including tile adhesion issues and the discovery of an old coal mine. Despite controversies and suggestions to close the tunnels, the project continued, with the eastbound tunnel reopening on October 31, 2008, and the westbound tunnel completed in September 2010. The renovation, originally planned for 6 months, took over three years and cost $13.7 million, more than double the initial estimate.
To learn more: (https://tinyurl.com/48nchsaw) (https://tinyurl.com/yurfdu4x) (https://tinyurl.com/2p9vzn4d)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV
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