Waynesboro planning commission approves letter of support for federal Bridge Investment Program grant

The Waynesboro Planning Commission on Oct. 22 approved a resolution and letter of support for the city’s application to the U.S. Department of Transportation Bridge Investment Program.

Public Works staff told commissioners the application seeks discretionary federal funds to repair six bridges across the city that staff have identified as being in “poor or trending poor” condition; two of the six bridges currently carry posted weight restrictions. The staff presentation said the grant, if awarded, would fund repairs to all six bridges and “extend their lifespan by approximately 15 to 20 years.”

The six crossings named by staff are two on Hopin Parkway (one over Norfolk Southern Railroad and one over the South River), Second Street over the South River, Wayne Avenue over the South River, Lyndhurst Road over the South River, and Rosser Avenue over Pratt’s Run. Commissioners asked about the Higgs Bridge on Fourth Street; staff said they understand a separate grant application is under consideration and that the city has discussed converting that span to pedestrian-only access because vehicle access may be cost-prohibitive due to height and other structural constraints.

After brief review of the draft resolution and letter provided in the meeting packet, a commissioner moved to approve both documents and another commissioner seconded. The commission voted in favor by voice vote with no recorded roll call; the chair declared the motion carried and asked that the documents be signed after the meeting.

The Planning Commission’s action was limited to approving a local letter of support and a related resolution to accompany the grant application; it does not commit city funds or authorize construction. Any funding award from the Bridge Investment Program would depend on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s competitive selection process and subsequent approvals.

Commissioners and staff did not record a roll-call tally during the meeting, and no individual vote names were captured in the transcript. The file materials included with the meeting packet listed the six bridges and noted two weight-restricted crossings.