Your name here: Historic Ohio railroad bridge is up for auction
Written by RT&S Staff
The Roche de Boeuf railroad bridge.
How often do you get the chance to have a bridge named after you?
Well, that honor could become a reality if you have the money. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is trying to sell the Roche de Boeuf railroad bridge that crosses the Maumee River near Waterville, Ohio. The span has not carried any traffic, not even foot traffic, since 1983 because it is structurally deficient.
It will go up for auction on June 30, and if there are no takers ODOT will demolish the bridge, which was built in 1908 by the Cincinnati & Lake Erie Railroad Co. and is one of the last “interurban” railroad lines. Also included in the sale is 5.67 acres in Lucas and Wood counties.
Waterville’s city seal includes an image of the Roche de Boeuf bridge, and city administrator Jon Gochenour is expected to be at the auction as an observer. Gochenour said the bridge is a community landmark on the National Register of Historic Place, and it is an iconic symbol of Waterville. He added there is a lot of community support to keep the bridge, but the funding needed is “astronomical.”
ODOT said the cost to fix the bridge is about $15 million. An ODOT appraisal values the bridge and land at $100.
Read more articles on railroad bridges.
