HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 70
(By Delegates Webster Hatfield, Brown, Mathews, Harrison,
J. Smith, Spencer, Keener, Armstead and Walters)
[Introduced March 1, 2002; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways to name the
bridge over Two-Mile Creek in North Charleston, Kanawha
County, West Virginia, the "Craig McGhee Bridge."
Whereas, Craig Alton McGhee was born in Charleston, West
Virginia on August 8, 1972 and is the fifth of seven children; and
Whereas, Craig McGhee is a life-long resident of Orchard Manor,
a residential housing community located on Charleston's West Side;
and
Whereas, In 1995, Craig McGhee began to notice severe cracking
in the sidewalk of the bridge that passed over Two-Mile Creek
connecting his community to the West Side of Charleston; and
Whereas, On May 15, 1995, a mother and her young daughter were
walking across the old bridge that led to the Orchard Manor
community, when the daughter fell through one of the many holes in
the old bridge and suffered severe cuts to her face due to the
loose metal and other defects in the bridge; and
Whereas, Craig McGhee witnessed the accident, came to her aid
and then called 911 for emergency assistance; and
Whereas, Craig McGhee began a letter writing campaign and
petition drive which enlisted many individuals in the crusade; and
Whereas, The following individuals played critical roles in the
successful completion of the project during the five and one-half
years between the accident and the dedication of the new bridge on
October 11, 2000, including Charleston City Councilman Mose Lanham;
Charleston Parks and Recreation Director Ron Gregory; Charleston
City Engineers Kathy Rushworth and Kyle Stollings; Citizens Action
Group Director Norm Steenstra; Senators Martha Walker and Brooks
McCabe; Delegates Ann Calvert, Mark Hunt, Rudy Seacrist and Jon
Amores; all of the officers of the Orchard Manor Resident
Management Council and especially Vice President Virginia Nesmith;
Charleston Mayor Kemp Melton; West Virginia Division of Highways
Engineering Director Jim Sothen; and Charleston Public Safety
Council President John Chapman; and
Whereas, The new bridge, owned and maintained by the West
Virginia Division of Highways and built at a cost of $850,000 from
West Virginia Division of Highways funds and $150,000 from the City
of Charleston funds, has three, twelve-foot lanes and a five-foot wide sidewalk that meets ADA standards, and has markedly improved
traffic flow and safety for the 8,000 vehicles and the hundreds of
Orchard Manor residents that use the bridge daily; and
Whereas, It is the fervent wish of the residents of Orchard
Manor, the officers of Orchard Manor Residents Management Council
and the current Mayor of the City of Charleston, Jay Goldman, that
the bridge over Two-Mile Creek in North Charleston, Kanawha County,
West Virginia be named the "Craig McGhee Bridge"; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the members of the Legislature hereby request that the
West Virginia Division of Highways name the bridge over Two-Mile
Creek in North Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia,
identified as bridge number 20-N0280-0.08, the "Craig McGhee
Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Division of Highways
provide and erect a sign at either end of the bridge displaying the
name of the bridge; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is
hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the
Commissioner of the Division of Highways and to Craig Alton McGhee.