A bit of history of Memorial Bridge, which at one point was signed as US Route 50, US Route 50 Truck, and US Route 50 Alternate. From
http://parkersburgcity.com/pc/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/43971_2019-09-12_PMB_RFP_Bridge-Sale_Final.pdf "At the Ohio end of the Memorial Bridge, U.S. Route 50 was relocated, improved to modern standards as a
four‐lane highway, and opened to traffic in September 1964. The improvement included direct connections to
and from the Memorial Bridge. U.S. Route 50 though, was routed south along Main Street and across the old
Parkersburg‐Belpre Bridge into Parkersburg. In 1966, the State Road Commission of West Virginia and the Ohio
Department of Highways established the official U.S. Route 50 Truck Route over the Memorial Bridge, and
through Parkersburg via Green Street, 8th Street and Murdoch Avenue westbound and Garfield Avenue, 4th
Street and Green Street eastbound. Signs designating this route were posted."
"At the West Virginia end of the Memorial Bridge, the State Road Commission had selected an alignment for the
continuation of relocated Route U.S. 50. The selected alignment began at the Parkersburg approach to the
Memorial Bridge, proceeded easterly through Parkersburg, interchanged with Interstate Route 77 east of
Parkersburg, and rejoined existing U.S. Route 50 at Deerwalk. Construction of the sections of this improved
four‐lane divided highway east of Interstate Route 77 has been completed. Construction of the differentsections
west of Interstate Route 77 from the Memorial Bridge through the City of Parkersburg was postponed because
of heavy opposition to the alignment. Funds earmarked for this project were transferred to other viable projects.
However, recent efforts have begun to complete U.S. Route 50 between Parkersburg and Cincinnati, Ohio. The
five‐mile portion in West Virginia represented one ofsix sections of U.S. Route 50 that have not been completed.
The West Virginia Division of Highways proceeded with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement
that covered several alternative alignments including the alignment noted above. The Environmental Impact
Statement was completed in the late 1990’s and the selected route in West Virginia designated Corridor “D” of
the Appalachian Highway System was in various stages of design and construction. This route passes over the
Ohio River and Blennerhassett Island."
Deerwalk is about 10 miles east of Interstate 77.