For a majority of the year, the old Vicksburg Bridge sits idle with the exception of the Kansas City Railroad trains that cross the Mississippi River.

A local group with a passion and idea of what the Vicksburg riverfront can look like wants to change that.

Friends of the Old Mississippi River Bridge brought their proposal before the Warren County Board of Supervisors this week, seeking a resolution from the board to have the Vicksburg Bridge Commission, which oversees the bridge, to have the 88-year-old structure opened year-round.

The group, which packed the boardroom, outlined the benefits the community could reap economically, through tourism and improving health by opening the bridge.

One only has to look at the benefits cities such as Memphis and Chattanooga have enjoyed in economic development, tourism and healthy lifestyle since opening similar structures for year-round use.

In the mid-90s, Chattanooga was a town on the brink of imploding their deteriorating bridge that crosses the Tennessee River. Through the efforts of a small group of individuals who had a vision of the possibilities, the bridge was saved from demolition and today is the centerpiece of revitalization in Chattanooga’s downtown district and riverfront that includes a world-class aquarium.

Memphis, which opened the Harrahan Bridge two years ago to pedestrians and bicyclists, had more than 65,000 people use the bridge in just six months after it was opened to foot traffic.

More and more communities are seeing the benefits of such pedestrian bridges. A 2013 report from the Rails to Trails Conservancy indicated there were 161 trails with active rails in 41 different states and 60 more trails were in different phases of development.

It would not be difficult to find the economic development funds necessary to make the improvements to the old Vicksburg Bridge required for pedestrians and bicyclists to use the bridge safely throughout the year.

The old Vicksburg Bridge is an asset Warren County has allowed to go unused for far too long and it’s time to go full steam a head with opening the bridge year-round to pedestrians and bicyclists. It’s time to do this.