Study: Don Knotts pedestrian bridge possible for about $7 million

Apr. 4—MORGANTOWN — Is a pedestrian bridge spanning Don Knotts Boulevard feasible ?

Morgantown's Historic Railroad Depot was filled Thursday evening with dozens of people interested in the answer to that question.

It turns out the answer is yes—if you're willing and able to spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $7 million.

Representatives from the city of Morgantown, the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization and consultant Kimley-Horn were on hand to present the findings of a months-long feasibility study for the pedestrian amenity listed as a top priority for both the city and the MPO.

The study was a requirement of the West Virginia Division of Highways.

Due to the rapid elevation change from one side of Don Knotts to other, the DOH previously said it wasn't willing to release funds to engineer the project until it was satisfied the bridge could be reasonably constructed and meet accessibility requirements.

The bridge project on display Thursday countered the topography with a 1, 300-foot paved trail starting at the corner of Callen Avenue and Lawnwood Street and running parallel to Callen at 4.5 % slope down to the crossing, opposite the rail-trail access and parking lot near Mountaineer Heritage Park.

On the rail-trail side, a spiral ramp structure will get pedestrians and cyclists from the bridge surface to the ground, and vice-versa.

"The elevation where Don Knotts is at is like 80 to 90 feet below where Callen Avenue is. It drops a good bit, " Kimley-Horn Transportation Engineer Colin Frosch said. "Starting over here (Lawnwood) you can follow the more natural contours of the hillside. This is a gradual slope that gets you down to this point, which is about 22 feet above the roadway where it crosses."

Frosch said one of the first questions put to the DOH was whether an at-grade crossing — think dressed up crosswalk — was a possibility.

"Right now, from our discussions from the state, that has been precluded, " he said.

Steve Knudsen can tell you why. He lives on the First Ward side of Don Knotts Boulevard.

Don Knotts Boulevard "is extremely dangerous to try to cross most times of the day, " he said. "I think this is a good plan. It's a lot of money, but it would be a big improvement for folks wanting to cross from First Ward down to the trail area—much, much safer."

With the feasibility study complete, the DOH will need to sign off before the project could advance.

MPO Executive Director Bill Austin said the city would likely seek grant funding from the DOH or the Federal Highway Administration if the project ultimately moves forward.