An historically insignificant bridge

A mile or so from Ohio 7 and the Ohio River, this little steel bridge crosses Swan Creek near the old Bethel School (closed 1961) on Bladen Road (formerly Bladen-Mercerville Road). From what I remember from the National Bridge Inventory Database, this bridge was built in 1950. It's maybe a lane and a half wide. From here, the road leads west toward Mercerville. It's one of tens of thousands of bridges that cross the Ohio's numerous tributaries, and it's known mainly to people who travel it. It's not a distinctive bridge, and if the county were to replace it, few people would miss it.

In short, it's an unremarkable bridge, but I'm marking its presence now. 

A few scenes

Some Ohio River towboat scenes from today:

The M.K. McNally just below Point Pleasant WV. That's the Silver Memorial Bridge in the background, upriver.

The Wally Roller, seen passing Huntington upbound on Monday, picks up or drops off some barges below Point Pleasant. That's the Gallipolis OH riverfront in the background.

A few hours later, the Wally Roller is downbound at Clipper Mills OH, below Gallipolis. The M.K. McNally also was downbound, maybe an hour ahead of the Wally Roller.