On Tuesday, April 14, Gov. Mike DeWine granted the Save The Bridge Association’s request for additional time to complete an alternative professional engineering report, on the Interurban Bridge at Roche de Boeuf, by a licensed bridge inspector specializing in historic structures.
The private meeting occurred following the governor’s address to the Bowling Green State University Democracy and Public Policy Network at BGSU. New late-breaking information has come to light which supports the case for preservation of the historic bridge and iconic Northwest Ohio landmark.
During Tuesday’s meeting with DeWine, Waterville Mayor Tim Pedro and representatives of Save The Bridge requested an additional year pause on demolition of the Interurban Bridge at Roche de Boeuf. Although this full request was denied by the governor, after further discussion, he opened a 30-day window of cooperation between ODOT District 2 Director Pat McColley and Bill Vermes, a professional civil engineer and bridge inspector with 40 years experience and a track record of saving historic bridges in the U.S.
Vermes has inspected the Interurban Bridge at Roche de Boeuf and is completing an alternative professional engineering report on the bridge and an adaptive reuse plan for it. Vermes reuse plan for the historic Interurban Bridge at Roche de Boeuf features a pedestrian path across the Maumee River. Per the governor’s directive, McColley will coordinate with Vermes, Pedro and STBA on the new engineering report and potential preservation option.
Save The Bridge representatives emphasized that the proposed future pedestrian and bike path would offer panoramic views from the Maumee River and make an ideal storybook trail, featuring the many layers of history present at the landmark site. Vermes asked STBA to share highlights of his initial ratings with the governor, stating that he believes the structure could be the foundation for “the most impressive dedicated pedestrian and biking bridge in Ohio, if not the entire United States.”
The Interurban Bridge at Roche de Boeuf has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972. It is a National Park Service registered historic place and a State of Ohio designated historic place. Completed in 1908, the Interurban Bridge was the longest reinforced concrete bridge in the United States when it opened. Designed by Daniel Luten of Indianapolis, the bridge featured a revolutionary design of reinforced concrete.
Save The Bridge Association is a grassroots citizens’ group working to save the historic and nationally significant Interurban Bridge from demolition and to preserve it as a Waterville cultural and scenic icon for future generations.Â
