Remembrance of the Silver Bridge Collapse Planned

The Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant West Virginia collapsed 50 years ago this week, sending 46 people to their death in the Ohio River. There will be a ceremony to remember them later this week.

Investigations 50 years ago indicated that the bridge was poorly maintained and regularly supporting more weight than it was designed to hold. The Acting Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson will join state and local officials on the anniversary of the 1967 collapse.

They’ll gather to remember those lost when the Silver Bridge snapped while loaded with holiday travelers. Two of the 46 victims were never found. The incident brought national attention to bridge safety concerns, leading to the National Bridge Inspection Program.

The federal program now calls for mandatory inspections every two years of the nation’s more than 600,000 bridges.

Remarks will be delivered in downtown (6^th and Main St.) Point Pleasant –  200 6^th Street, Point Pleasant on Friday, December 15, at 11 a.m.