Hendrix Bridge a step closer: Other bridges in WNC named after people

When City Council member Jennifer Hensley was doing research about naming bridges after honored citizens across the state, she thought it'd be a fitting tribute to name a bridge in Hendersonville after Henderson County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Hendrix, who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 10, 2020.

Hendrix was 34 years old when he died from a gunshot wound from a gunman while he and other deputies were investigating a car break-in. The gunman was killed by deputies moments later.

Hensley pitched the idea to the Henderson County Sheriff's Department of naming the U.S. 64 bridge that is the overpass for Interstate 26 in Hendersonville after Hendrix. Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin decided to take Hensley's idea and present it to the Henderson County Board of Commissioners.

At the Aug. 7 meeting, commissioners approved the resolution to name the bridge after Hendrix, but it was just one step in a long process. After approval, the request was sent to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, which is the governing body that decides on the naming of bridges.

The decision from the Department of Transportation could be coming in the next few weeks. According to David Uchiyama, the communications officer for the mountain region of the NCDOT, it's in the final stages.

"The application packet is moving forward through the process. It will be taken to the Road/Bridge/Ferry Naming Committee of the Board of Transportation where it will be reviewed for approval by the entire board," Uchiyama recently told the Times-News.

There are several other bridges throughout the state named after people. Below are the ones, divided by county, that are in Western North Carolina.

Henderson County

Davenport Bridge: Dedicated April 8, 1994, it's on N.C. 191/280 over Mills River, Henderson County. The second bridge (from 1955) was named for James Theodore Davenport (1871-1946). The third bridge opened in 1992. In 1993, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution to honor James Davenport and his family for their service to Mills River and Henderson County by naming the 1993 bridge “Davenport Bridge.”

Peter Guice Memorial Bridge: Dedicated Dec. 7, 1972, it's the large bridge on Interstate 26 that goes over Green River Gorge. The bridge is dedicated to the memory of Peter Guice, who built the first toll bridge over the Green River in 1820.

Transylvania County

Bill Jr. McNeely Bridge: Dedicated July 11, 1997, it's on U.S. 64 over Toxaway Falls, Transylvania. McNeely was a lifelong resident of Lake Toxaway who gave back to the community.

Polk County

Trooper Clyde Perry Bridge: Dedicated Jan. 10, 1992, it's over U.S. 74 on SR 1531. Perry was killed during a high-speed pursuit near Columbus on July 2, 1972.

Buncombe County

Richard Petty Bridge: Dedicated on Nov. 7, 2013, and located at Mile Marker 65 on Interstate 40.

Capt. Jeff Bowen Bridge: Dedicated on Aug. 15, 2012, in honor of Bowen, an Asheville firefighter wo died in the line of duty battling a 2011 blaze. It's located on Patton Avenue on the bridge going over the French Broad River.

Justice Harry C. Martin Bridge: Dedicated on Jan. 5, 2012, located on Interstate 26 over Long Shoals Road.

Col. Robert K. Morgan Bridge: Dedicated July 19, 2004, this bridge is on Airport Road over Interstate 26.

J. Paul Harris Sr. Bridge: Dedicated Nov. 13, 1987, it's on Dunsmore Avenue in Ridgecrest.

Gen. Albert Boyd Bridge: Dedicated on Sept. 1, 1965, this is the Craggy Bridge in Woodfin that goes over the French Broad River.

W. L. Craven Bridge: Dedicated on Sept. 1, 1950, it's on Craven Street in Asheville and goes over the French Broad River.

Haywood County

Officer George Rogers Bridge: Dedicated on Sept. 6, 2012, it's located on Park Street in Canton.

Trooper Shawn Blanton Bridge: Dedicated on April 1, 2010, it's the bridge at Exit 31 on Interstate 40.

Trooper Anthony Cogdill Bridge: Dedicated May 6, 2004, it's on N.C. 209 over Interstate 40.

Trooper Calvin E. Taylor Bridge: Dedicated March 7, 2002, it's on SR 1610 over Interstate 40.

Trooper Clyde Taylor Bridge: Dedicated Feb. 4, 2002, it's on SR 1660 over Interstate 40.

Madison County

Donald Stephens Bridge: Dedicated Feb. 12, 1984 and located on U.S. 220 Business over the Dan River.

Cherokee County

Joseph El-Khouri Bridge: Dedicated on June 24, 2014, and located on Robbinsville Road.

Larry McNabb Bridge: Dedicated on Aug. 4, 2011, on N.C. 294 over Cherokee Lake.

J. Rodda, C Van Gorder, F. Blalock Bridge: Dedicated on Oct. 6, 2005, it's the bridge on U.S. 19-74-129.

Sister Loretto Meehan Bridge: Dedicated Aug. 4, 2000, it's over the Hiawassee River on U.S. 64.

Dr. Helen Wells Bridge: Dedicated Aug. 5, 1994, it's on U.S. 19/129 over Valley River in Murphy.

Dr. William A. Hoover Bridge: Dedicated Sept. 7, 1990, it's on U.S. 19/129 in Murphy.

Margaret Walker Freel Bridge: Dedicated Sept. 1, 1983, it's on U.S. 19 and U.S. 129 in West Andrews.

Jackson County

T. Walter Middleton Bridge: Dedicated on April 1, 2010, on N.C. 107 over Tuckasegee River.

Jewel J. Revis Old Barkers Bridge: Dedicated on March 3, 1989, it's on Barkers Creek Road.

Clay County

Fred Sr. Woodard Bridge: Dedicated on Sept. 7, 2006, it's the bridge over Lake Chatuge on U.S. 175.

Tom Day Bridge: Dedicated Dec. 9, 1988, it's on SR 1307, crossing the Hiawassee River.

Avery County

Officer Glenn Hicks Bridge: Dedicated May 6, 2004, the bridge is over Elk River on N.C. 194 (Banner Elk Highway).

Macon County

C. Tom Bryson Bridge: Dedicated Feb. 3, 1995, it's on U.S. 64 over Cullasaja River.

David E. Henson Bridge: Dedicated Jan. 8, it's on U.S. 441 Business, over Little Tennessee River.

Swain County

Thomas A. Sandlin Bridge: Dedicated Oct. 14, 1983, it's on U.S. 19 over Little Tennessee River.

Graham County

Nettie Parrette Bridge and Richard Parrette Bridge: Dedicated May 1, 1983, it's on SR 1127 over Snowbird Creek.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Hendrix Bridge: What bridges in WNC are named after people and why?