The iconic Waterville Bridge may soon be crushed beneath the feet of ODOTzilla (Godzilla’s sneaky
prevaricator twin) much to the delight of salivating Chinese scrap buyers if village leaders fail to
register written disapproval with the Ohio Dept. of Transportation District 2.
So what’s wrong with the current bridge? … Nothing (according to the Federal bridge rating scale). As a
matter of structural integrity on a 150 point scale with 150 points being perfect the Waterville Bridge
got… wait for it… 150 points, a year ago.
ODOTzilla counters with… "It is of an obsolete design." So a bridge now has to make a fashion
statement? Who knew? The rating of the bridge was a well kept secret such that when I confronted ODOT’s
official with it he only remarked "who squealed." ODOT’s spokesman Theresa Pollick recently
stated to the Sentinel that the bridge was built in 1904 though the Bethlehem Steel builders plates
clearly visible to traffic at both ends of the bridge say "Built in 1948" which does not
inspire any confidence at any level in ODOT.
The real truth is that ODOT must have a minimum 4 lane bridge to split Waterville with a four lane Route
64 from the new #24 exit all the way to a new interchange with #25, I-75, and S.R. 20 (a new bypass).
Oh, the traffic nightmare!! ODOT must have a new bridge first and the rest will be easy. The Waterville
steel truss bridge is the newest of all truss bridges in Ohio and every minute of every day 20,000 ton
freight trains cross steel trusses throughout America. Many are well over a hundred years old!
ODOT managed to give a $4,000,000,000.00 walletectomy to taxpayers in 2013 alone but they couldn’t mow
noxious weeds on right of way, couldn’t keep pavement in good condition and want to defecate more
asphalt and concrete they won’t be able to maintain, and yet, white collar ODOT employees retire on an
average $125,000 per year pension!
It’s up to you Waterville. Do your part in arresting ODOTzilla. You were fully informed by…
George E. Thompson
Holland