Photo by Joselyn King/Benwood officials have plans to take down the Bellaire Bridge as it sits over land in the city.

BENWOOD — Benwood officials are considering a plan to take down a portion of the privately owned Bellaire Bridge, a portion of which stands over land in Benwood.

Their concern is the project would cost at least $800,000 in taxpayer money, and they aren’t certain Benwood residents would agree with the expenditure.

“I really think they will,” Police Chief Frank Longwell said.

Mayor Frank Kuca said the city likely will survey residents in 2020 to determine whether they think the large sum of money should be spent on taking down the span. Its crumbling concrete decking is thought to be a safety hazard.

“The survey will ask them: “Would you agree to spent $800,000 to get rid of the unsafe structure?'” Kuca said.

There are about 1,300 residents in Benwood, which does have the funds available to take on the project. Money from the business and occupation tax in the city, coupled with funds generated when businesses have sought permits for expansion in Benwood, have provided the city with some discretionary cash.

Recent years have seen Benwood run annual surpluses of about $400,000, according to Longwell and Kuca.

The bridge is currently owned by KDC Investments and Delta Demolition through Krystle and Lee Chaklos, who purchased the bridge in 2010 with the intent to take it down and recycle the metal.

In 2015, Lee Chaklos was sentenced in federal court in Columbus to 30 days in prison and a $2,500 fine. He had been found guilty of criminal contempt for not disclosing more than $2 million in liens that exist against the bridge, and also for misleading the court about the value of its metal.

There has been no effort to take down the bridge in recent years, and Chaklos has not paid his West Virginia taxes on the span, according to Longwell and Kuca.

The state will not foreclose on the bridge as it does not want the liability, they said.