Rudzik Excavating of Struthers does exploratory excavating near the intersection of Crescent Street and West Rayen Avenue Friday afternoon as the demolition of the Crescent Street bridge begins. Rudzik was the lowest of three bids for the project at $582,000, which was about half of the city’s $1 million estimate. Staff photo / R. Michael Semple

YOUNGSTOWN — Demolition has begun on the 78-foot steel girder Crescent Street bridge.

The bridge, which runs over an abandoned railroad line just west of Rayen Avenue near downtown, is known as “the bridge to nowhere.”

Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works for the city, said the bridge no longer was needed and is in poor shape, but rather than wasting money to repair it, the city decided to make it a road, which he said is easier to maintain.

The space left by the removal of the bridge will be filled in and the road will be re-established at a lower elevation. In addition to demolition, the project includes right-of-way purchases, retaining wall improvements, a waterline replacement, and curb and sidewalk replacements, Shasho said.

The city originally estimated the project would cost slightly less than $1 million, but the lowest bid — from Rudzik Excavating of Struthers — came in at about half that at $582,000.

Two other proposals for the work were $587,477.85 from Marucci and Gaffney Excavating Co. of Youngstown and $647,000 from A.P. O’Horo Co. of Liberty.

Shasho said previously the estimate was high because he was being conservative with the salvage value of steel.

The street is closed while work is taking place and detours are posted. The work should be complete in October, Shasho said previously.

Most of the project will be paid with state funding with the city paying about $100,000 to $120,000.

The city’s board of control also had approved a $48,000 contract with Environmental Design Group, an Akron company, to perform construction inspection and administration for the bridge removal project.

The city plans next year to replace the concrete road on Crescent Street from the bridge location about 1 mile north and west with asphalt and do drainage work, Shasho said.

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