Great story by Hawes Spencer!

Few of today’s college students were alive in 1986. That was the year the space shuttle Challenger exploded, and Ronald Reagan was president. That was also the last time the Belmont Bridge was painted.

Such a 26-year omission bolsters the view that Charlottesville has neglected one of its most prominent and valuable pieces of infrastructure, a vital gateway to downtown that city officials now want to destroy and replace for an amount estimated to top $14 million.

“There’s no good that comes from that kind of neglect,” says contractor and former City Council candidate Bob Fenwick. “It always costs you more if you don’t maintain.” READ MORE

Infrastructure