A bridge in Benton Harbor will get some TLC thanks to a local group that wants to watch out for it.
At a meeting on Monday, Benton Harbor City Commissioners voted to officially designate the Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary Club as the caretaker of the Twijuana Marie Floyd Memorial Bridge, on Britain Avenue over Ox Creek, keeping the bridge and its approaches clear of litter and debris.
The Rotary’s Michael Mason told commissioners the idea was brought to the club by former City Commissioner Eddie Marshall, who felt such a program could honor the memory of 12-year-old Twijuana Marie Floyd. She was killed when the sidewalk along the bridge collapsed in 1996.
In 2021, the city renamed the structure in honor of Twijuana at the urging of Commissioner Ron Singleton, who spoke Monday night.
“That bridge, it was definitely a spot in my heart,” Singleton said. “My son, oldest son, was a classmate of Twijuana Marie Floyd. And I mean, it’s just brought back memories and him asking a lot of questions when that happened. And I think it was the right thing to do.”
Commissioner Sharon Henderson thanked the Rotary for watching out for the bridge.
“I know the family and so know the story and it was tragic and it’s a great way to honor that memory but it just truly was a tragic event that occurred,” Henderson said.
Mason said the Rotary’s been looking for ways to be more involved in the community, and it didn’t take long for members to approve Marshall’s suggestion.
Commissioners unanimously approved the Rotary’s request.
