Local News

Bridge renamed to honor caretaker

Ribbon-cutting ceremony held July 4th proclaiming Wayne Six Toll Bridge

There has been a bridge spanning across the banks of the Ohio River connecting Newell and East Liverpool for about 118 years. For over 56 of those years, Wayne Six has kept it in great condition.

To honor his time and hard work on the bridge, The Newell Bridge & Railway Company has announced that the bridge name changed to Wayne Six Toll Bridge on July 4.

His nephew, Newell Bridge & Railway President, Frank Six shared, "I feel he deserves this honor after all of the years he spent repairing the bridge to ensure its structural integrity was safe for us all to use, and I want him to know how much we all appreciate that. I also want him to enjoy driving over the bridge that carries his name, and have a peace of mind that I will make sure it is just as safe for many years to come.

Wayne Six grew up on Murray Road with his three older brothers, attended Wells High and returned home after two years in the United States Army during the Berlin Crisis to work in the steel mill for a while before starting a business as an independent contractor, eventually leading to doing small jobs for The Homer Laughlin China Company (HLC) in the 1960s. As HLC also owned the bridge, they hired him to do a small job in 1967 which led to his company, Six Enterprises, keeping up regular maintenance.

While he did not have formal training in bridge repair, he did have common sense and guidance from engineering firms that were responsible for the thorough biannual or annual inspections.

His biggest job was in 1970 when the Chester bridge closed. The work had to be done from midnight to five in the morning due to the heavy traffic, which included truck traffic. He boasts that the bridge has never failed an inspection.

Following government regulations, every beam has a name number and the condition of every piece of the bridge is recorded. Throughout those many years, there also have never been any serious injuries while doing repairs.

The bridge was closed for about an hour and a half Tuesday for the private ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by over a hundred people, a truly remarkable moment as in all of the of minor and major jobs, the bridge only had to close twice for repairs -- when a truss angle was replaced over the highway for about five hours; and when the concrete work was done for the toll house. And, during local foot races.

All of his years of making these repairs made him as comfortable on the bridge as in his own living room.

Long-time employee David Atkinson said, "I've seen him walk across the beams with his hands in his pockets. He's not scared of anything."

Not only has Six taught himself how to do the repairs, but he invented tools used on the bridge, making him a reliable expert. His services have been used during the inspections of the Market Street Bridge in Steubenville to split the cables to look inside.

He also made the scaffolds under the bridge, with safety as a main concern. His safety measures saved his own life when he insisted that a worker secure the cables and not skip that step. While he was on the scaffold, it shifted, but the safety cables held the scaffold.

The bridge was originally designed for trolley traffic, converting to passenger car traffic in the 1950's for a 10 cent toll.

Ten cents in 1950 adjusted for inflation to today is $1.26 --so a $1 toll to cross is almost a bargain. Many don't understand the need for tolls, but as it is privately-owned, all repairs, toll taker salaries and insurance are paid for with the proceeds.

The toll raised under the new ownership to support the cosmetic changes and other improvements that do not affect the performance of the bridge, but the confidence given to the passengers. Since the ownership change, 50 floor joists have been replaced and other general maintenance has been performed without the general public realizing.

Bridge work has always been a family affair, with many Six Enterprises employees extending to his children, nephews and grandchildren.

His stepson, Dave Elder, also part-owner in Six Enterprises, has spent the majority of his life working beside Wayne.

Wayne's brother, Lester Six, would also consult on tricky repairs. With his nephew Frank's investment in both Six Enterprises and Newell Bridge & Railway Company, he has ensured that his knowledge of the bridge will be passed on to continue to give those far and near safe passage on one of two private toll bridges in WV.