Effort to Light Historic Edmund Pettus Bridge Continues

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

The Edmund Pettus Bridge draws tens of thousands of people to Selma each year. And an effort underway to light the historic bridge could bring even more tourists to the city once it’s done.

Tourists can be seen walking across the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma — on a regular basis.

Kent Gustafson and Viki Kimsel came all the way from Minneapolis.

“It was Kent’s idea that we had to come to Selma. And we had to walk the bridge,” Kimsel said.

“The bridge is really, and the march, is really the only thing that I know Selma for. I’m sure that Selma has some other things that we can be seeing and doing while we’re here. I just don’t know about them,” said Gustafson.

Like most other tourists who come to the city — the couple didn’t expect to stay in the city very long after their trek across the bridge.

But an on-going project is hoping to change all that. By giving tourists a reason to stay in the city overnight to see the iconic bridge all lit up.

“Think of something like the Lincoln Memorial — Jefferson Memorial — those places in Washington. Think of it about like that,” said Michial Lewis.

“Most of the time the bridge would just be lit in white light.”

“We have people coming to Selma to see the bridge in it’s normal and natural form. The lighting experience is going to just be super. And it’s going to add a lot of value to our tourism opportunities,” said Mayor James Perkins, Jr.

But the city will need to do more to become a tourist destination — instead of just a stop over.

“We are working feverishly to get some additional hotel space and some entertainment activities. We are working feverishly to get the downtown lit for entertainment district, a true entertainment district,” Perkins said.

Additions that would likely help to create a better tourism experience for the people who visit the Queen City.