http://enr.construction.com/yb/enr/article.aspx?story_id=161904125 When one's history and economic future is tied closely to historic structures, buildings, and items .... shouldn't other solutions be found, discussed, scrutinized - to protect our diminishing "icons" of once was. What price "progress"? Can "progress" be defined in a different way that can and will protect these historic items of the past? Shouldn't this be taken into consideration when local economies are suffering and need a new industry by which to re-build upon? Perhaps, a far better comprehensive plan that protects the basis of said new industries should be taken into account. Heritage Tourism, based on genealogy and corresponding history that ties to it .... is the one way that needs to be tried. Something "new" does not discount what the "old" can do for an area or a region .... the Monogahela River Valley should not be counted as down and out .... as long as it has the seeds of something by which to re-build again from. That is what restoration and preservation funding is supposed to be used for. This is what foundations and other redevelopment vehicles can be used for. I was personally involved in the Section 106 process (based on Fed. law that state and federal agencies must go through when wanting to destroy highly historical things that are either nominated or officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places), and witnessed and have recorded what actually happened re: the bridge that traversed the Mon. River between Lock 4/N. Charleroi and Monessen. I attended every meeting in order to record and know what was really going on. Our bridge was "lost" in order to save others, a lamb to the slaughter .... it had no limitations on it at all before being shut down and many, many months after the MOA was signed .... destroyed. Through the negotiations they try to ascertain and take into account all the history involved with, around and under the bridge. Even the PennDOT representatives were impressed with all the history involved with this bridge. It was a hub of transportation history in itself, as Gov. Tener was very involved in all modes of transportation of that time, even though we haven't quite proved he had his hand in the river industry, though he could have. This helped to singularly provide much history about the bridge, about Gov. John K. Tener, about Lock 4, old and new, the Monongahela Navigation Company, river boats, train & trolley industry, (visit eldorapark.com) as well as other inter-connected histories. The historical societies gained much viable information that can be utilized to help our communities in our immediate area, esp. that of Lock 4. Also via the negotiations and local input from the consulting parties, the state and federal agencies involved try to give something back - token as it might be - to help provide something by which the communities can rebuild from. In those negotiations, we asked for corresponding school colors to be utilized in the fencing so that the "Battle of the Bridge" - local name-claiming tradition between Charleroi and Monessen could continue; that there would be bulb-outs that would provide history lessons along the way for pedestrians and tourists, other history lesson signage on both ends, that the bridge would be named after Gov. John K. Tener, ("the Tener bridge") the man who served as President of the Mercantile Company and vitally pushed for the start and completion of the bridge. We also requested bits and pieces of the bridge for posterity and they are being stored in a safe place until the people here decide what they would like to do to memorialize that history. Old "Lock 4" is a proverbial "hot-bed" of history that cries for realistic actualization and use, including beautiful old, restored homes as well as the still existing old Lock 4 itself. And we are supposed to get a copy of every picture, information, and anything else that was involved in the destruction and formation of the new bridge to preserve for historic purposes. And, Tener's relatives are scattered all over the world now, but they are well aware of what has been transpiring here. We also negotiated that they should formally invited when the new bridge is completed and a formal opening is held, in order to continue that historic connection to by-gone years. Yes, there may be a new bridge in the future (depends on release of funding as they go along) but it will not look anything like the old one (a unique petit truss spanned structure) .... (even though we begged for one to look like it as well as asking that they fix the sm. spot and open the bridge with a lowered wgt. limit until they obtained the money to move ahead) .... and this will open up work on the I-70 bridge, which will be shut down for hoped for restoration. After all, we all recognize the import of having safe bridges, surprising to some but history lovers also love safe bridges .... but when promised $40 million .... many alternatives were and should have been discussed across the table. And so, another piece of history fell, but we moved on when we saw the writing on the wall .... and we hope and advocate that Monongahela history, despite the local area, should be used, restored, preserved and utilized so that all of our people can have a more prosperous future in, God willing, the years to come. Take a real look at your area .... can genealogy and history be .... put to work for you? nacs