Solon Exploring Electronic Sign on SOM Center Bridge

Many Solon residents likely find out about community events by glancing up at the old SOM Center Road railroad bridge before they drive under it.

That's because many community groups use the bridge to hang banners and signs.

But now city officials, at the suggestion of Mayor Susan Drucker, are exploring the idea of installing an electronic message board on the bridge.

That electronic sign would "minimize the unsightly and sometimes unsafe condition of the bridge," Drucker wrote in a memo to the safety committee.

Service department workers have to walk out on the bridge to hang the signs over heavy SOM Center traffic, so an electronic sign would eliminate that potentially dangerous work.

It also would prevent signs from coming loose and falling on cars below.

Safety Committee Chairman Bill Russo said an electronic sign would eliminate safety hazards and give the city a way to get the word out about anything from events to public notices from the and.

"It could benefit the community much more than what we have right now," Russo said.

The safety committee signed off on exploring the idea last week, so Drucker said she would return with examples of message boards and cost estimates.

She also said that officials can explore other improvements to the bridge as well to make it more attractive and more of a welcome into the city.

She said that exploring hanging a sign and the down the road might make the time right. But any proposal would have to go before the finance committee, and there's no money in the budget right now for that kind of project.