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Resident urges county to pursue repair of Criglesville swinging bridge; board asks county attorney to review liability
Summary
Marty McGettrick, a resident, described multi-year efforts to keep the Criglesville swinging bridge open and urged the board to rescind a VDOT deconstruction order and negotiate repairs. Board asked County Attorney Hannon Wright to check liability; no formal action taken.
Resident and attorney Marty McGettrick told the Madison County Board of Supervisors he would organize a nonprofit or trust to help preserve the Criglesville swinging bridge after VDOT closed it and issued an order to deconstruct. McGettrick recounted earlier work with VDOT, an independent estimate that placed repairs at roughly $15,000, and a later VDOT figure that he said exceeded $1 million.
McGettrick said he initially resisted citizen-funded management of what he views as a highway-related crossing but said he changed his mind because he considers the closed bridge a public-safety risk: "If someone slips on that slick low water bridge and gets washed away, the question will of the jury be, if there was a bridge providing safe passage, would that have happened?" McGettrick said he is willing to work with counsel and to help assemble landowner support and an organizational vehicle if the board will pursue rescinding the deconstruction order and negotiating repair with VDOT.
Board response and direction: Supervisors asked staff to obtain written commitments from adjacent landowners and to confirm VDOT—s standing order and whether funds to repair the bridge remain available. County Attorney Hannon Wright agreed to review the county—s potential liability regarding the closed crossing and report back. No vote or transfer of ownership was taken at the meeting; several supervisors said they were reluctant to accept long-term private responsibility for an asset that serves the general public without documentation of landowner easements, dedicated funding and a clear legacy arrangement.
Ending: McGettrick said he would try to secure counsel and supporting landowner commitments; the board asked the county attorney to prepare liability guidance before any formal change in the county—s position.
