CHARLESTON -- W.Va. Delegate Tim Ennis said he is expressing his "extreme disappointment" at the lack of work being done on the Market Street Bridge that connects Brooke County, W.Va., and Jefferson County, Ohio.

In a news release, Ennis said he has asked not only that the project be quickly moved forward, but that the state Division of Highways provide the Brooke County Commission with a weekly progress report.

“For several weeks I have been extremely disappointed at the lack of work activity on the bridge, all the while the bridge remains closed to the traveling public,” Ennis, a Democrat from Brooke County, wrote in a March 9 letter to Highways Commissioner Paul A. Mattox. “Last week, when I inquired about the lack of work taking place, I was told the contractor was waiting on steel and the steel would be arriving the week of March 8, 2010. On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, I was told the steel would not be arriving until the week of March 15, 2010.”

The Market Street Bridge was closed to traffic in early January for a multimillion-dollar restoration and painting project. In the statement, Ennis said he "unfortunately sees a pattern that is beginning to emerge on the restoration of the bridge.”

“I believe this is a pattern that will result in work not being done in a timely manner for the project to be completed by next fall,” he said.

Ennis said he asked Mattox to monitor the work being done on the bridge to ensure that all efforts are being made to have this project moving swiftly forward.

“This project is simply too important to the people of Brooke County to allow such a slow-down,” Ennis said.