SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 58

(By Senator Facemyer, Unger and Hall)
Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 40-869-0.27 (4380) on Route 869 crossing the Kanawha River and U. S. Route 35 near Eleanor, Putnam County, the "Memorial Bridge" in recognition of Johnathon David Higginbotham and the many other persons who have lost their lives on U. S. Route 35 and W. Va. State Route 62.

Whereas, Bridge number 40-869-0.27 (4380) on Route 869, completed in 1998, crosses the Kanawha River near Eleanor, in Putnam County, connecting U. S. Route 35, which follows the southwest side of the river, with W. Va. State Route 62, which follows the northeast side of the river; and
Whereas, U. S. Route 35 and W. Va. State Route 62 are both older designed two lane highways that border the Kanawha River from Pt. Pleasant through Mason and Putnam Counties and both highways, particularly U. S. Route 35 , are heavily traveled thoroughfares, traveled by a large number of tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles in interstate commerce; and
Whereas, During a ten-year time period from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2007, on U. S. Route 35 alone, 1040 traffic accidents occurred between the intersection with W. Va. State Route 34 in Putnam County and the town of Henderson in Mason County, 29 of which resulted in 33 fatalities; one of the most tragic of those accidents resulted in the untimely loss of Johnathon David Higginbotham; and
Whereas, Johnathon David Higginbotham grew up in the Eleanor and Midway areas of Putnam County, and he frequently crossed the bridge and traveled U. S. Route 35 to visit his grandparents in Pliny and to stay with his father ; and
Whereas, Johnathon attended Buffalo High School where he was to be a starting guard on the basketball team for the upcoming fall season; and
Whereas, on June 3, 2004, Johnathon crossed the bridge enroute to his father's home, and while traveling on U. S. Route 35 just a few miles from the bridge, Johnathon, at age 17, died in a tragic collision with a tractor-trailer; and
Whereas, It is fitting that this bridge be named the "Memorial Bridge" for Johnathon and the many other persons who have lost their lives in accidents on U. S. Route 35 and State Route 62 to honor and memorialize their passing, as well as to honor their memory by families and friends as they cross the bridge; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 40-869-0.27 (4380) on Route 869 crossing the Kanawha River and U. S. Route 35 near Eleanor, Putnam County, the "Memorial Bridge" in recognition of Johnathon David Higginbotham and the many other persons who have lost their lives on U. S. Route 35 and W. Va. State Route 62; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the "Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Johnathon David Higginbotham's stepfather and mother, Jim and Vallery Withrow.