Bill Text: WV HCR41 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Thurman W. Whisner Memorial Bridge
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 10-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-29 - House received Senate message [HCR41 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2024-HCR41-Introduced.html
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 41
(By Delegates Thorne, Coop-Gonzalez, Miller, Howell, W. Clark, Horst, Street, Chiarelli, Hite, and Hornby)
[Introduced January 19, 2024; Referred
to the Committee on Technology and Infrastructure then Rules.]
Requesting the Division of Highways name Bridge Number: 33-009/00-020.32 () (33A020), (39.61829, -78.28301) locally known as GREAT CACAPON BRG., carrying WV 9 over CACAPON RIVER in Morgan County, the "Thurman W. Whisner Memorial Bridge".
Whereas, Thurman W. Whisner was born on the family farm January 21, 1951, near Great Cacapon in Morgan County. He attended Morgan County Schools where he excelled in academics and athletics. After graduation from Berkeley Springs High school, he began his time of working summers for the WVDOH, in the years of 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972; and
Whereas, He attended engineering school at West Virginia Tech in Montgomery, WV, from the fall of 1969 through January of 1974. He was hired In District 5 to be part of the Bridge Department (then located In Keyser) as an Engineer-in-Training 1, 1974-1978, then becoming a Highway Engineer 1. Thurman left the DOH to return to Morgan County where he worked for 2 years for U.S. Silica in Berkeley Springs. He was hired by Baker Engineers in Beaver, Pennsylvania, in 1980. He excelled with Baker, where he inspected many prominent W. Va., New Jersey, Virginia, and Pennsylvania bridges. His favorite was New River Gorge Bridge, which he inspected several times. While employed by Baker Engineers, Thurman was also on the design teams of many bridges, including the Weirton-Steubenville Bridge, now known as the Veteran's Memorial Bridge. He was next employed by WM Schlosser in the D.C. area on the Wheaton Metro Project as Quality Control Engineer, for which he received a commendation from Metro for his work. After the completion of the Wheaton Metro Station he returned to WVDOH in 1990, where he was Highway Engineer II until 1994. He was promoted in 1994 to Highway Engineer III- -Highway Engineer Associate. In 2009, Thurman earned the title Highway Engineer-Bridge Evaluation Engineer, which he carried proudly until his death July 25, 2022, at the age of 71, passing away of a heart attack on his way to work at the Morgan County DOH Headquarters. From 1990 until his death Thurman designed foundations for homes in the Flood Plain. A photo of two of his homes surviving the Flood in 1996 graced the front cover of the FEMA National Flood Mitigation Manual; and
Whereas, Thurman is survived by his wife of 48 years, Karen, son, David Whisner and his wife Angel, Dave’s daughter Breauna, and the first Great Grandchild, Oliver MacCumbee, his daughter Michelle Bishop, and her children Mary and Arman Bishop. Surviving also is Thurman’s brother Earl J. Whisner, and may beloved nieces and nephews, relatives and friends; and
Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Thurman W. Whisner and his contributions to our state; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name Bridge Number: 33-009/00-020.32 () (33A020), (39.61829, -78.28301) locally known as GREAT CACAPON BRG., carrying WV 9 over CACAPON RIVER in Morgan County, the "Thurman W. Whisner Memorial Bridge".; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the "Thurman W. Whisner Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.
