Thank you, Alan.
It's a great honor to be here today.
We have a tradition in this state of naming bridges for fallen law enforcement officers.
This tradition symbolizes the close relationship between the Departments of Transportation and Crime Control and Public Safety.
The Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining more than 78,000 miles of highways in the state system.
Keeping these roads safe is an enormous responsibility.
This task would be impossible without the tireless work of the State Highway Patrol and the countless other law enforcement officers across our state.
Secretary Beatty, Colonel Holden and all the other law enforcement officers here today, we thank you for your dedication.
Although naming bridges after fallen law enforcement officers is no compensation for the loss experienced by these officers' families, we feel that it is vital that we acknowledge our debt to these brave officers.
It's also important for citizens who drive along these bridges to be reminded of the great sacrifice made by an officer like Trooper Peterson.
It's been 22 years since Trooper Peterson was killed but he has left behind a powerful legacy.
Thinking of him reminds me of the words of the great visionary and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
King once said that the ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy.
Trooper Peterson's life is a perfect example of this wisdom because he wasn't a man for comfort.
He wasn't a man for convenience.
He spent his entire life preparing for the challenges he would face as a state Trooper.
And it was in meeting this challenge that he made his mark.
Trooper Peterson went by many names-"Bobby" to his sister, "Murr" to his childhood friends and "Pete" to his fellow Troopers.
That's because he meant something to everyone who had the pleasure to know him.
To the troopers he served beside and helped train at the Academy, he was a true role model.
He wasn't one to cut corners-he was a perfectionist in every way.
In fact, he had a reputation for mastering all training maneuvers on the first try.
The dangers that went with this job never intimidated Trooper Peterson.
That's because protecting the citizens was his life's ambition.
He served his country in Vietnam and while there he worked as a military policeman-all with the goal of returning to his home state and being a state trooper.
Trooper Peterson had little time for hobbies and other pursuits but he truly cherished his family.
He was a proud father to his daughter Melanie and he had a special place in heart for his mother, Hazel.
Her son was Hazel's idol.
Trooper Peterson loved family gatherings at his grandmother Mamaw's place on Bee Tree Road in Swannanoa.
He loved Mamaw's mincemeat pie and he also loved classic cars, particularly the Corvette because his father Cecil always had one.
He had two sisters, Phyllis and Inez, who both loved him dearly.
Inez has been a vocal champion of her brother's legacy and she is here today to ensure that we, too, will never forget him.
The bridge we're dedicating today was completed in August 1990.
It's an important facility for this area because it carries traffic from a major north-south route, U.S. 221, over U.S. 74, which is vital for east-west traffic across our state.
And until now, this bridge was known only by its designation in the maintenance record book as Bridge 631.
Well, as of today, Bridge 631 is no longer just a number.
This bridge has a name-and a fine name it is.
From today forward this bridge will always be known as the Trooper Pete Peterson Bridge.
May all motorists who drive along this bridge be reminded of Trooper Peterson's great legacy.
At this time, I'd like to ask Inez Bartlett to please come forward.
(YOU WILL PRESENT INEZ WITH A REPLICA HIGHWAY SIGN.)
(INEZ WILL GIVE RESPONSE.)
(ALAN WILL CONTINUE WITH AGENDA. AFTER HE CONCLUDES, YOU WILL JOIN HIM, SEC. BEATTY, MAYOR BRADLEY, LEGISLATORS AND FAMILY AT THE SIGN FOR THE UNVEILING.)