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County attorney: Madison County does not own pedestrian bridge; board declines to reopen ownership decision
Summary
Madison Countylegal counsel told supervisors the county has never owned the pedestrian bridge and that VDOT has kept it closed; supervisors said they will not revisit a prior vote to leave the bridge under VDOT control.
County legal counsel Hannon told the board that Madison County has never owned the pedestrian bridge under discussion and that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has assessed it as unsafe. “The county doesn’t own and has never owned this bridge,” Hannon said. “VDOT has said that the pedestrian bridge is unsafe as it currently is. VDOT has told us, they have not told us that this is a necessary transportation. Right? They’ve kept it closed for years.”
Hannon said he met with a concerned citizen, Mr. McGettrick, and reviewed the Virginia Tort Claims Act for liability concerns. Hannon advised the board that, given the facts and lack of a plan for future use, the county was within its rights to rescind a prior request and ask VDOT to restore the bridge, but that maintaining the prior decision to leave the matter with VDOT was also within the board’s discretion.
Several supervisors said the board previously voted to allow VDOT to act on the bridge and that nostalgia was the primary reason some wished to revive the issue. One supervisor said, “We have voted to allow VDOT to do whatever they see fit with that bridge,” and urged the board not to revive the topic unless new information or a concrete plan emerged.
No new vote to change ownership or take responsibility for repairs was taken at the meeting.
