West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) officials say the lights on the Bridge of Honor are not a priority and there are no plans to repair or replace them. In fact, the decision was made to simply cut the breaker to the lights since a lot of them are not functioning. Pictured is the bridge at night in 2009, shortly after opening and sitting alongside the old Pomeroy-Mason Bridge before its demolition.
MASON, W.Va. — Lights or no lights? That will remain the question when it comes to the Bridge of Honor that connects Mason and Pomeroy, Ohio.
In the years since the bridge was constructed, more than 40 lights on the Bridge of Honor have either burned out or have been broken out by vandals. But when the question is asked regarding their replacement, answers vary.
When contacted last week, Carrie Bly, communications specialist with the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT), said the lights are not a priority and there are no plans to repair or replace them. In fact, Bly said the decision was made to simply cut the breaker to the lights since a lot of them are not functioning.
The lights provide no safety for drivers on the bridge, and are strictly there for appearance, Bly said. She added it would cost thousands of dollars to fix the lights.
“It’s function versus looks,” she said. “Do we want to fix roads and bridges, or make them look pretty?”
Bly added the lighting system is older and discontinued, adding to the cost. She said they have to look at the cost to repair or replace them and decide where to best use the money in their budget.
Mason County Delegate Scott Cadle (R-13th) has been working on this issue since March 2014. A member of the legislative roads and transportation committee, he remains hopeful that the lights will once again shine…
