Coming Soon: Clarke County – Route 761 (Old Charles Town Road) Bridge Replacement

Public Involvement

The bridge structure on Route 761 (Old Charles Town Road) over Opequon Creek is located at the Clarke and Frederick county line. The bridge has reached the end of its service life and is functionally obsolete. This means that the current bridge was built according to design features and standards that no longer meet current geometrics or traffic needs. The 93-year-old bridge is a frequently flooded, low-water structure that carries a single lane of traffic along a two-way highway. The current length of the bridge is 79 feet and the roadway width is 18.39 feet. In 2020, the average daily traffic was of 1,870 vehicles per day.

A new, two-lane bridge is proposed to replace the current bridge. The new bridge will be roughly 5 feet higher in elevation.

This project is about 0.26 miles long and extends from 0.130 miles west of the Clarke County line to 0.148 miles east of the Clarke County line. 

During construction, traffic will be detoured 8.3 miles using Route 11 (Martinsburg Pike) and Route 672 (Brucetown Road).

The total estimated cost for this project is $4,355,591, including $500,382 for preliminary engineering, $200,000 for right of way, and $3,655,209 for construction.

Right of way activities will begin in summer 2022.  Advertisement for construction will be in early 2024.

Benefits 

This project provides a new two-lane bridge that enhances safety and that can support the weight of modern vehicles. The new bridge will replace a 1928 bridge that has reached the end of its service life.

Major Milestones 

Right of way – Summer 2022

Construction advertisement – Early 2024