West Virginia Department of Transportation
07/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/27/2026 06:15
Long-term lane closure on Silver Memorial Bridge
Travelers can expect a long-term lane closure on the Silver Memorial Bridge in Mason County while parts are manufactured to replace an expansion joint.
Built in 1969 to replace the original Silver Bridge, the 1,964-foot Silver Memorial Bridge carries US 35 across the Ohio River between Henderson, West Virginia and Gallipolis, Ohio. The bridge carries about 22,230 cars a day, and about 6,000 trucks.
The slow lane coming from Ohio is currently closed on the bridge following failure of an expansion joint.
West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) District 1 bridge crews have been making makeshift repairs to the expansion joint for some time, but several teeth broke out in early July. The failure will require replacement of the entire expansion joint.
The expansion joint manufacturer will have to fabricate a brand new expansion joint. The process of ordering, manufacturing, and receiving the new expansion joint could take nine months or more.
The original Silver Bridge, built in 1928, collapsed on Friday, December 15, 1967, killing 46 people.
West Virginia Department of Transportation published this content on July 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 27, 2026 at 12:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]