BRILLIANT — As the new Ohio River bridge’s opening ceremony began at 8 a.m. and continued throughout the day until 6 p.m., Ohio residents in attendance shared their views on the bridge’s possible benefits and drawbacks Wednesday.

The bridge, known for now as the Wellsburg-Brilliant Bridge until it receives an official name from the West Virginia Legislature, is scheduled to open to traffic around 9 a.m. today. Only time will tell what traffic at the bridge’s new intersection with Brilliant’s Third Street will bring.

Bill Walker has been a Brilliant resident all his life, and he has lived in his current house for 18 years. That house is one of the only structures left at the western block on the corner of Third and Cleaver streets, which was reconfigured to lead onto and off of the new bridge.

If facing Walker’s house, the lot to its right — at the corner of the intersection — is planned by the state of Ohio to be a park and ride, Walker said.

To the house’s left and rear are privately owned lots that were recently cleared.

Walker said the bridge’s addition undoubtedly will help Brilliant with business, but the bridge will do “more harm than good” for him, particularly regarding parking. Walker’s only available parking is on the grassy area before the Third Street sidewalk in front of his house — that is how all the block’s residents used to park, he said.

Walker said this parking method has the Wells Township Board of Trustees’ approval, but it is up in the air whether the state of Ohio will approve now that Third Street has become a major traffic thoroughfare to and from the bridge.

Walker said the trustees have been good, but communication has been poor from Ohio and West Virginia state officials regarding developments. He hopes the trustees can facilitate more open communication so he knows what to expect.

“I don’t want to come out one day for work and there be a ticket on my car from state patrol,” Walker said.

Also, Walker is concerned about traffic using Gilchrist Street behind his house, where his children play, to circumvent the bridge intersection’s streetlights.

Nickie Short, a Brilliant resident, said the bridge’s shortcut will help her reach her Pittsburgh workplace faster. However, she shared Walker’s concern about cars using side streets to avoid the traffic lights. Separately, Short suggested the state of Ohio could demolish a nearby closed business — the former Don’s Restaurant and Cafeteria — and use that property and its paved parking lot for the park and ride.

The individual who owns the properties around Walker’s house is Reid Millard, owner of multiple businesses under Millard Family Cos. Millard said he hopes to start developing the properties near the bridge within a year, hopefully bringing in an ice cream shop, coffee shop, restaurant and new version of Millard’s Garden and Gift Center, which his grandparents used to operate.

“After I’m gone, the (township trustees) will give the proceeds from anything out of these businesses to the kids here in town for the parks and (recreation),” Millard said. “I was born and raised here. The community did a lot for our family.”

Other residents, like John Bumgardner of Rayland, expressed approval of the bridge offering better access between Ohio and West Virginia. Bumgardner, at the bridge to see his granddaughter play with the Buckeye Local High School band, said the bridge will help him get to work in Weirton faster, with ongoing construction on the Veterans Memorial Bridge and Ohio 7 being limited to one lane each way north of Mingo Junction until 2025.

Brilliant resident Amy Stock said her mother, Margaret Nickoson, had waited all her life for the new bridge but was away Wednesday, so she came with her daughter, Emily, to get photos and video of the festivities.

Looking forward to the span’s opening, Stock said, “I’ve already mapped out how quick it will be to get to the Wellsburg DiCarlo’s and Drovers Inn. Right now it’s a half-hour. Now I think it will take me 12 minutes.”

The new bridge will connect W.Va. 2 and Ohio 7, a connection that Wells Township Trustee Ben Batenburg said will benefit both states.

“This gives us another access in the southern part of the county,” Batenburg said, “and it’s split between Wheeling and Steubenville” in case there is a problem with the existing bridges.

Batenburg said Brilliant and Wells Township will benefit from the ability to reach shopping and other amenities in Wellsburg without having to drive long distances and loop around on other bridges. Also, the increased traffic coming into Brilliant can provide an opportunity for businesses to develop in the community.

“It’s not an overnight build, but it’ll happen,” Batenburg said.

Township trustees will address traffic issues as they arise, Batenburg said. They have already begun looking into designating parts of Gilchrist Street near the bridge intersection as one-way roads. This would be to discourage semi-trucks from taking turns into the residential area that they are unable to make their way out of.

Batenburg said the one-ways will be up within October, following paperwork and discussions with county engineers.

Bruce and Barbara Foraker of St. Clairsville arrived early to get their 1951 Ford pickup in line for the bridge’s car show, also saying they wanted to see the bridge’s opening, which he called a “once-in-a-lifetime” spectacle.

Helen Mayle was among Brilliant residents who pushed for the project when the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission got involved in launching studies for it. She said the bridge will serve “to bring businesses into Brilliant, improve the quality of life for residents and shorten people’s travels.”

“Not only that, but it is for the safety of people traveling along those hillsides,” Mayle said.

She noted the bridge also is seen as an alternative route should rock slides again cause W.Va. 2 or Ohio 7 to be closed.

The Brilliant and Wellsburg volunteer fire departments came together for the celebration, providing two ladder trucks from which a large U.S. flag was hung. But the departments’ leaders expect more future collaboration than that.

Brilliant Fire Chief Brian Harvey said, “There have been talks with Wellsburg (emergency departments) about mutual aid for fires and accidents. We have been working with the state to clear some issues with insurance and worker compensation.

“We’re actually closer to Wellsburg than we are to any other town we provide mutual aid to.”

Wellsburg Fire Chief Scott Kins said, “We have started some trainings with them. I think it’s going to work out great for both sides.”

The bridge “has to benefit the area,” Bruce Foraker said, adding that it will take pressure off Steubenville’s existing bridges. Foraker said that he and his wife plan to use the bridge frequently, as they travel to Weirton for car shows.

Glen Hanlin of Mingo Junction attended the car show with his 1966 MG Midget, arriving at 5:30 a.m. to be the first in line. He approved of the bridge’s benefits but did not want the Market Street Bridge between Follansbee and Steubenville to shut down.

If that bridge is decommissioned, Hanlin said, he might start using the Wellsburg Bridge for trips to Follansbee, referencing construction on the Veterans Memorial Bridge that he said has been occurring too often and for periods that last too long. Furthermore, he blamed traffic accidents by the bridge on “poor traffic management.”

Warren Scott contributed to this report.