Steubenville span opens STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Officials from two states say a newly opened Ohio River bridge might still be the dream it was for 30 years had an Ohio lawyer not made a nuisance of himself from time to time. Bridge from Page A1 "No doubt about it. There were some politicians who hated to hear from Nate Stern," Mayor David Hindman said. "They knew who he was when he himself and others was all that kept applied pressure all those times. He could be quite the project from falling apart on vociferous when he wanted to know what was being some occasions. done to get this bridge built." Celeste recalled the commitment Stern joined Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste, West Stern coaxed from him eight years Gov. Gaston Caperton and Sens. ago when he ran for his first term as and , both D­W.Va., in yesterday's governor. dedication of the $65 million, six­lane Veterans "Nate Stern told the truth when he said I promised to complete the Memorial Bridge. Highway 22 (expressway bypass) Most of the approximately 500 people attending the project if elected. The truth is that ceremony huddled under umbrellas in the middle of was the only highway project I the bridge. But about 30 veterans representing promised anywhere in Ohio." servicemen from World War I to the Vietnam War Celeste yesterday announced that remained uncovered and at attention. Ohio Transportation Director Ber­ After the ceremonies, the bridge was opened nard Hurst has arranged to open bids around 6:30 p.m., allowing the first regular traffic to on contracts for the last two uncom­ cross. pleted sections of the U.S. 22 bypass. ! Hindman said completion of the bridge and a U.S. He said the work would complete 22 bypass will put Steubenville within a 30­minute Ohio's commitment to the project. drive of Pittsburgh. He hopes that will spark an Byrd blamed the Reagan adminis­ economic renaissance in the eastern Ohio steel town. tration for interruptions in federal Stern, 76, and Dr. Eli Dragisich of Weirton, W.Va., funding which delayed completion of headed citizens groups known as Catch­22 in Ohio and the bridge. He said people in the area , respectively, which pressured state applied pressure to restore the fund­ and federal officials to complete the bridge. ing, and Congress put back deletions Stern said in an interview that at times, he thought made by the administration. he wouldn't live to see the structure finished. "This is an area the two states have neglected. This is eastern Ohio and the panhandle of West Virginia. But this is a very sweet, very special time for us. It's a time for a lot of people in both states to heal some Iwounds and forget the battles we've fought over this bridge," he said. Stern said delays since ground was broken on the span in 1972 have more than doubled the original $30 million cost estimate. He said persistent badgering by

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