The Eugene A. Carter (Oakwood, Fort Hill) Bridge
By Dan Robinson
The Eugene A. Carter Bridge (also known as the Fort Hill Bridge or the Oakwood Bridge) carries Interstate 64 across the Kanawha River in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. The bridge is a six-lane span consisting of a long elevated approach (viaduct) from the north, a sharp 90-degree curved elevated approach from the southwest, and multiple interchange ramps merging onto the main truss span:
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Since 2003, I have been involved in covering accidents on this bridge as a freelance cameraman, with the resulting footage repeatedly making national and local television and newspaper headlines.
This web page is a compilation of information I have collected and observed about the bridge and the effort to implement measures to reduce its accident rate.
Articles
ARTICLE: The Case for De-Icing Equipment on the Carter Bridge
An article I put together explaining the hazards of the bridge, their causes and a possible solution.
ARTICLE: Icy Bridge Safety
Safety tips and an explanation about the number-one weather-related hazard to the average person.
ARTICLE: Bridge Overlay Installation
Documenting the installation of SafeLane™ overlay material to a nearby interstate bridge with similar accident rates.
Letters
Responses from Senator Robert C. Byrd and Highway Commissioner Paul Mattox (Click to enlarge):
Videos
Media Coverage
The Carter Bridge and its accident-prone reputation has been featured nationwide on the following:
- CNN
- The Weather Channel
- Inside Edition
- Good Morning America
- CourtTV / TruTV
- ABC News
- The Associated Press
- Local TV newscasts across the USA
- Newspapers across the USA
