HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 49
(By Delegates Amores, Brown, Palumbo, Kominar,
Hatfield, Guthrie, Spencer and Wells)
Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge crossing the
Big Coal River on U.S. 119 between the southbound 69 and 69.5
mile markers, the "Steven Wayne Smith Memorial Bridge."
Whereas, Steven Wayne Smith was born on November 1, 1971, in
Logan, West Virginia, the only son of James and Diane Smith; and
Whereas, Steven Wayne Smith dedicated his life to supporting
and helping the citizens of West Virginia by graduating from Logan
High School in 1990 and later receiving an Associates degree in
Radiologic Science from the University of Charleston in 1993, where
upon graduation he obtained a position as radiologic technologist
at the Charleston Area Medical Center, eventually being promoted to
Supervisor of Radiology; and
Whereas, Steven Wayne Smith's love of his family and friends,
compassion for colleagues and strangers, and his die hard support
of the West Virginia Mountaineers football program exemplified his
infectious and enthusiastic dedication to the citizens of West
Virginia; and
Whereas, Steven Wayne Smith's passion for the West Virginia
Mountaineers football program was honored at every home football
game last season by publicly dedicating the game to his memory on the scoreboard on Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia;
and
Whereas, Steven Wayne Smith's life was cut short at the Coal
River Bridge on July 30, 2006, devastating his family merely one
month before he was set to move into a newly constructed home
located just minutes away from the bridge on U.S. 119 over the Big
Coal River with his wife, Mindy, and three-year old son, Tyler; and
Whereas, Before every home West Virginia Mountaineers football
game, Steven Wayne Smith's family and friends gather at the Big
Coal River Bridge to honor his memory by saying a prayer and
displaying West Virginia University flags and signs as he would
have been doing had his life not abruptly ended; and
Whereas, Steven Wayne Smith's family and friends, all agree
that it would be a great and deserving honor to name the Bridge on
U.S. 119 over the Big Coal River after Steven Wayne Smith, and to
dedicate it to his memory; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways
to name the bridge spanning the Big Coal River on U.S. 119 South,
located between the 69 and 69.5 mile markers in Kanawha County,
West Virginia, the "Steven Wayne Smith Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby
requested to erect appropriate signage at the entryway of each end
of the bridge; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates
forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of Highways
and to the Kanawha County Commission.