Dunbar Mayor Excited for Toll Bridge Replacement, Concerned About Seniors During Construction

Mayor Scott Elliott voices gratitude for federal funding but worries about impact on elderly residents who rely on the bridge.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:23pm

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A photorealistic painting of an old, dilapidated toll booth structure on a bridge, with warm lighting and deep shadows creating a nostalgic, cinematic mood that evokes the bridge's importance to the local community.The aging Dunbar Toll Bridge, a vital transportation link for the community, faces an uncertain future as plans for its replacement raise concerns about senior accessibility.South Charleston Today

Dunbar, West Virginia Mayor Scott Elliott expressed excitement over the upcoming replacement of the Dunbar Toll Bridge, which will receive $65 million in federal funding. However, he also voiced concerns about the impact the construction will have on elderly residents who rely on the bridge to access essential services like the local Kroger grocery store.

Why it matters

The Dunbar Toll Bridge is a critical transportation link for the community, with the mayor noting it is 'one of the busiest bridges in the state of West Virginia during the day.' Its replacement is crucial, but the mayor is worried about how seniors without cars will access services during the construction period.

The details

The Dunbar Toll Bridge, originally built in 1953, will be replaced using the $65 million in federal funding secured by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito. West Virginia's state transportation secretary praised the investment, saying it will 'modernize our most critical corridors, keeping our drivers safe and our economy moving.' Mayor Elliott said the bridge replacement project will take at least a year once construction begins. He is also concerned about the upcoming closure of the local Kroger grocery store, which many seniors in Dunbar rely on and will have difficulty accessing the new Kroger location across the river in South Charleston.

  • The Dunbar Toll Bridge was originally built in 1953.
  • In December 2024, the state Department of Highways listed four possible outcomes for the bridge.
  • On April 6, 2026, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito announced the $65 million in federal funding for the bridge replacement.
  • The Kroger grocery store in Dunbar is scheduled to close in June 2026.

The players

Scott Elliott

The mayor of Dunbar, West Virginia who expressed excitement over the upcoming Dunbar Toll Bridge replacement but also voiced concerns about the impact on elderly residents during the construction period.

Shelley Moore Capito

The U.S. Senator from West Virginia who secured the $65 million in federal funding for the Dunbar Toll Bridge replacement project.

Todd Rumbaugh

The West Virginia state transportation secretary who commended the federal funding for the bridge project as a 'massive win for the safety and connectivity of our region.'

Jim Morrisey

The Governor of West Virginia whose 'maintenance-first' mission and strong support for infrastructure was praised by the state transportation secretary.

Kroger

The grocery store chain that is closing its Dunbar location in June 2026, which will impact elderly residents who rely on that store and have difficulty accessing the new Kroger location across the river in South Charleston.

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What they’re saying

“The $65 million for the Kanawha Valley Bridge Bundle is a massive win for the safety and connectivity of our region. We are grateful for Senator Capito's work in Washington to secure these federal funds. This investment ensures West Virginia has the resources to modernize our most critical corridors, keeping our drivers safe and our economy moving.”

— Todd Rumbaugh, West Virginia state transportation secretary

“The Dunbar Bridge has needed to be replaced for many, many years and to actually have Senator Capito appropriate the money for it, it's been a great Godsend for all the residents of the city of Dunbar who use transport and go across that bridge.”

— Scott Elliott, Mayor of Dunbar, West Virginia

“There's a lot of people — seniors — here in this town that are not going to be able to go to the new Kroger [at Park Place], because a lot of them don't have cars to get across the river to go to the new Kroger, and once ours is closed down, that's been a big economic impact on our city of Dunbar with the Kroger closing. We will try to help them with transportation for emergencies, to go to the doctor's appointments or whatever for the seniors. They will not be driving on the interstate, and I know they won't cross that bridge unless we take them.”

— Scott Elliott, Mayor of Dunbar, West Virginia

What’s next

The state Department of Highways will determine the final design and construction timeline for the Dunbar Toll Bridge replacement project in the coming months. Mayor Elliott said the city of Dunbar will also work to find a new tenant for the Kroger location in the Dunbar Village Plaza to serve the needs of local seniors during the bridge construction period.

The takeaway

This bridge replacement project highlights the importance of infrastructure investments for small communities like Dunbar, but also the need to consider the unique challenges faced by vulnerable populations like the elderly when major transportation links are disrupted. The mayor's concerns about senior access to essential services during construction underscore the importance of proactive planning and community engagement for these types of large-scale public works projects.