Translations
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
LANSING - For the first time in the history of Bridge Day, both sides of the giant span will be closed for the 2002 event, meaning at least some traffic on U.S. 19 will be facing a long detour.
In a brief statement Tuesday morning at the Canyon Rim Visitors Center, state Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary Joe Martin announced that to assure greater security in the aftermath of last year's terrorist attacks, the bridge will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 19.
Noting that previous years saw one side of the bridge remain open to traffic, Martin said, "We don't feel we have that luxury this year."
State Police Sgt. Bill Scott said although there will be no vehicular traffic on the southbound lanes of the bridge, pedestrian traffic will not be allowed on that side.
With the exception of handicap access, parking is restricted between the bridge and Ames Heights Road on the north side and the bridge and Court Street on the south side, Scott added.
Martin said 130 uniformed officers and "an unspecified number of plainclothes officers" will work the Bridge Day festival, West Virginia's largest single-day event.
"We have made extensive plans and had extensive discussions with numerous law enforcement officials, and the unanimous consensus is that closing down the highway is the most effective way to ensure a safe and secure event," Martin said.
He said the move comes "simply out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of the public."
Martin said agencies involved in policing the event will include the West Virginia State Police, Fayette County Sheriff's Department, Fayetteville Police Department, National Park Service, West Virginia National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard and FBI.
But he would not reveal details of what the agencies have planned by way of security.
"I don't intend to show our hand at all on the details," Martin said.
He said the state Division of Highways will announce detour plans soon.
Not only will traffic be kept off the bridge, but all public traffic will be kept off Fayette Station Road, which runs under the bridge.
"Bridge Day is on the bridge," emphasized the park service's Gary Hartley, chief law enforcement officer for the New River Gorge National River.
"We're really going to be discouraging folks from trying to walk down to Fayette Station to observe the BASE jumpers," Hartley said.
In addition, NPS will be assisted by Fayette sheriff's deputies the evening before Bridge Day to keep campers out of the Fayette Station area.
Hartley said in previous years, campers and their vehicles often restricted emergency vehicles and intruded on landing zones for the parachutists.
"Just for public safety in general and to accommodate the BASE jumpers, we need to secure a large landing area and at the same time provide for emergency vehicles to be able to get in and out," Hartley said.
State Police Superintendent Col. Howard Hill said Oct. 19 has turned into a somewhat demanding day for his agency.
"We've got three major events - West Virginia University's football game (in Morgantown against Syracuse), which takes quite a few troopers; Marshall University's game (in Huntington with Troy State), which doesn't take as much as WVU because of traffic; and Bridge Day. So it's going to severely impact us," Hill said.
"But with the ($45,000 legislative) appropriation that was given to Fayette County for Bridge Day, that will alleviate some of that burden, to put more people on overtime."
Hill also cautioned the public to not bring anything to Bridge Day they don't really need.
"Don't bring backpacks, don't bring cumbersome coolers and things that are going to look suspicious," he said.
"Because if it looks suspicious, we're going to check it."
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=348406&rfi=6
- E-mail: nclark@fayettetribune.com
From the Register-Herald.
------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info
