Join the Fight to Save Our Site.   

  Time is now nearly gone to save the historic Interurban Bridge at Roche de Boeuf.  We only have until April 9th to stop the demolition of this landmark site – a cost to taxpayers of 4 million dollars. 

Our Save The Bridge Association, a group of citizen volunteers, asked Governor DeWine for a meeting to explain our need for more time to pursue viable preservation options for the iconic Northwest Ohio destination. Unfortunately, we were never granted a meeting. So, Governor DeWine rejected our request for us to explain our progress and he rejected an extension of time. Per his letter, it is clear that he didn't know that we have 3 entities interested in becoming an administrator. The current administrator, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), recently agreed to transfer $4 million earmarked for demolition to a new administrator committed to preserving the bridge.  The governor never got the information that we have not had a year to find an administrator, only ~2 months. Save The Bridge engineers estimate the cost to preserve the bridge at $1.9 million. Simply rerouting river users to a designated transit point is only estimated at $20,000. Both options are well under ODOT's $4 million estimated demolition cost.

  So, now we need to recontact the potential administrtors and let them know that there is no time. Destruction will prevent our long-term goal to fully rehabilitate this historic bridge to a pedestrian & bike trail connecting Wood County to Farnsworth Park in Lucas County. We still hope to personally meet with the governor to present our case for slowing down/ pausing plans for demolition – along with viable preservation options for this nationally recognized landmark, but there is little chance now

  The Interurban Bridge has been on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1972.  When it was built in 1908, the bridge was the longest of its kind in the U.S. – an engineering marvel.  Which may explain why the bridge endures today – despite more than 50 years of neglect (no maintenance) by ODOT.  Once destroyed, this NRHP structure will be forever gone. 

  Despite this neglect, the “Roche de Boeuf” Bridge stands strong. Recently, a professional civil engineer with a proven history of preserving historic concrete bridges joined the fight to Save the Bridge.  He studied historic construction drawings of the bridge, and made a site visit to inspect it himself.  His assessment – the bridge was over designed (for heavy rail cars) and anchored into bedrock. The walls (spandrels) need to be secured with cables & rods, but the arches and piers are good. It’s stable and well worth preserving. 

  This expert also noted the lack of a cost study for alternatives that preserve or rehabilitate the historic bridge.  In our appeal to Governor DeWine, Save The Bridge has requested a good faith effort to resolve these existing questions.  Additionally, this good faith effort, would go a long way in calming the community outcry, directed at ODOT, for neglecting to provide bridge maintenance for over half a century. 

  Saving this bridge – this year – during America’s 250th birthday – would be a tribute to American ingenuity, Ohio transportation history, and community pride in longstanding cultural resources.  Frankly, it would be a great public relations story for the state of Ohio, ODOT and the city of Waterville.  Instead, Waterville is losing tourism dollars, because no-one will advertise an attraction that will be gone a year from now. Conversely, demolishing this iconic landmark – which has stood firmly for 118 years, nearly half the length of America’s great story – would be a public relations disaster.  Another consideration: while fireworks celebrations take place this summer at historic sites like Mount Rushmore – our historic site would be under demolition.  Sending fireworks, of a different sort, reverberating throughout our community. 

  The “Roche de Boeuf” bridge is our “Mount Rushmore” . . . our “Roman Colosseum”.  It’s worth saving.  We hope you’ll join us in the fight to preserve this site. 

       GOING -                  

                    GOING - 

                                   GONE!!!!!!

An Emergency Save Interurban Bridge meeting was held 6:30PM EST Monday 6Apr2026 

You can watch remotely via live stream here. 

Act Now by Signing our Petition Here.

Listen to TV & radio interviews. Read recent stories.

Pass out fliers to local businesses and neighbors.

Tell your neighbors how you feel about destroying this icon, with a 

"Stop Demolition!" yard sign. Contact jbraida@roadrunner.com  to get one for your yard or business. {$20 donation appreciated}

Call or write Governor DeWine. You can leave your thoughts with Governor DeWine here.

Governor DeWine rjected our request for more time!

Convenient Ways to Donate

1. Credit card, Debit card, Venmo or PayPal
2. Donate directly to "Save The Bridge Association" by visiting any Farmers and Merchants Bank of NW Ohio or NE Indiana

Become a Volunteer.

We need your help to save the bridge. ODOT will destroy this iconic landmark of NW Ohio and it will be forever gone.

For more infomation, Email to forestc@bex.net

About Us

We are a tax-exempt 501(c)3) grass-roots public charity. Any donations to our association go 100% to the expenses of our mission, since we are all non-paid volunteers. This year, donations are deductible from your AGI, even if you don't itemize.

We are registered as a public charity with the state of Ohio as certified here and with the IRS as an NTEE A82 public charity dedicated to historic preservation. 

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Contact the webmaster for any changes needed at forestc@bex.net.  

1722 unique site visitors to date.

214 member volunteers to date (not counting ODOT and Waterville City council)

564 petition signers to save the bridge to date (not counting members )

revised 7Apr2026