The historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge has carried far more than vehicles across the Ohio River for 176 years. It has carried the city and even the state’s identity, our civic pride and even our nation’s history — all of which deserved more respect than they were shown this week.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation announced Wednesday through an end-of-day email that, after more than six years of being closed for repairs and renovations, the bridge would be permanently closed to all vehicular traffic. That notice came after state officials held a closed-door discussion with city officials on the span.

That approach by the state was not just inadequate — it was dismissive of the people that have lived in this region, traveled across the bridge and admired this landmark their entire lives. The city’s approach to sit back and follow the state’s lead by not involving the public also was callous toward those that live and pay taxes in this region.

This bridge is not simply a piece of wood and steel infrastructure managed by the state. It is a community asset. It belongs, in spirit and legacy, to the citizens of Wheeling — not the state of West Virginia, and surely not an appointed city bureaucrat or elected member of council. When a decision of this magnitude is made — one that alters how residents will interact with a symbol of their city — the public deserves more than a bulletin issued just prior to the close of business.

At the very least, this announcement should have been made in a public gathering led by Wheeling Mayor Dennis Magruder, with state officials present to explain the reasoning and their long-term vision for the bridge. Such transparency would have allowed residents to hear the news directly, ask questions and understand why this step was unavoidable.

Instead, citizens were left to process the decision secondhand.

No one disputes the importance of safety, nor the need to preserve the bridge for future generations. But preservation of an icon of our city and state should never come at the expense of public trust. Decisions involving community treasures demand openness, collaboration and clear communication.

The residents of Wheeling deserved a conversation — not a notice.