Dedication Of Chief Donald M. Gray Bridge (PHOTOS)

Dedication Of Chief Donald M. Gray Bridge (PHOTOS)

A rebuilt bridge is named in honor of a former Wayne County fire chief. 

Tuesday, the N.C. Department of Transportation dedicated the Chief Donald M. Gray Bridge.   

The bridge carries Mark Edwards Road over Bear Creek near the U.S. 70 Bypass.

Donald’s son Jason Gray spoke on behalf of the family, and said the bridge represented a “boundary” that marked their home.

Gray went on to challenge his family to think of a way to honor his father’s legacy every time they cross that bridge in the future.

Donald Gray, a Wayne County native, served the New Hope Volunteer Fire Department for 42 years.

In 2020, he was inducted into the Wayne County Agricultural Hall of Fame. 

The speakers for the ceremony included George Wayne Aycock Jr., chairman of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners; Adam Caldwell on behalf of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis; Mike Causey, N.C. Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal; and Melvin Mitchell, the Division 4 representative from Rocky Mount on the N.C. Board of Transportation.

The N.C. Department of Transportation rebuilt this bridge in 2018, replacing a 71-year-old structure.

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