Brooke County Commission discusses tollgate house at Brooke Hills
By ANGELINA DICKSON, Staff writerWELLSBURG - Brooke County Commissioners approved Greenmoor Inc. as the low bid for the asbestos abatement for the tollhouse near Brooke Hills Park as part of the scenic byway on Tuesday.
Norm Schwertfeger, the West Virginia University Extension agent who has been spearheading the project, stated three bids came in for the project. According to previous reports the bids were from Raze International of Shadyside, Ohio; Greenmoor Inc. of Avella, Pa.; and Astar of Sissonville, W.Va.
Schwertfeger said Astar did not understand the bid contract and informed Schwertfeger the costs would be accumulative. He asked the commission to approve Greenmoor as the low bid for the asbestos abatement in the amount of $16,511.
The county received a $160,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation to renovate the tollhouse which was built in 1834 for a toll road that once existed between Washington, Pa. and Wellsburg when the state was still part of Virginia.
According to Schwertfeger, he plans to work with the architect to preserve several walls with little asbestos. He said they plan to do a point count on the asbestos in order to leave some of the walls standing.
"When walls are left unscathed, it preserves the history," he said, noting the historical society prefers some of the wall be left standing.
Commissioner Marty Bartz asked if Schwertfeger is going to have plans drawn up noting which walls have asbestos so future individuals will be aware to which Schwertfeger agreed.
Previous reports also stated the commission agreed to provide a $16,000 match for a $64,000 federal grant awarded through the West Virginia Department of Transportation for the development and promotion of the county's scenic byway.
Dubbed the Historic Wellsburg and Bethany Scenic Byway, it stretches from state Route 67 near Bethany to state Route 2, 22nd Street and Pleasant Avenue in Wellsburg to state Route 27 near Brooke Hills Park and onto state Route 88.
Schwertfeger said the designation will help promote points of interest to potential tourists.
As a scenic byway, the route will be included in brochures produced by the Federal Highway Administration.
Schwertfeger previously stated the grant would be used to hire a consultant to develop a corridor management study that will identify areas where informational kiosks may be placed or sections where the roadway could be improved, such as by widening, and ways to promote the byway.
He said a portion also will go to extend utilities to the former tollhouse on state Route 27 near Brooke Hills Park. Schwertfeger said various grants and contributions will be sought to reimburse the commission the remainder of that match and the match for the scenic byway grant.
(Dickson can be contacted at adickson@weirtondailytimes.com)
