Alas, all is back to normal here in river city. It’s been tough on this great city to be essentially cut in half for just over a year. What was so shocking for all of us who didn’t lose anyone in the collapse is that everyone either crossed the bridge regularly or knew someone who did — 140,000 vehicles a day passed over the old bridge.
This first photo was taken from the Washington entrance ramp going North, ten minutes before the bridge opened. You can see the blue glow of the LED lights on the bridge.
A parade of vehicles began a slow procession across the bridge, a row of troopers, a row of construction trucks and then the crowd that had assembled behind them, honking and hooting!
Here you can see the row of trucks and traffic coming from the University side.
And there they go! It was fun to see all these cheery, happy people honking and waving. A large group of motorcycles came up over Washington and circled back onto the bridge.
If you showed up at this moment and had no idea what was going on, it would seem pretty odd, all these people beaming with joy to drive over an interstate bridge; a crowd assembled to watch normal traffic flow at 5:10am on a Thursday.
After crossing the bridge, I turned around on 4th and stopped to look from the west bank. Unfortunately I shot this from out the window of my idling Jeep, so it’s a little blurry. You can see the 30-foot tall sculptures in the median. They represent the shape of the Mississippi river as it passes through Minneapolis.
A little non documentary treat.
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Wow, Mitch, look at you — you’re all over it! You’ve covered this bridge so well from the moment it collapsed, through its construction and now to completion. Even though I reside here in the Twin Cities, I’ve been nearby but never visited the site. Thanks to your photos and commentary throughout the entire process, I feel like I’ve been there, experienced it myself. With this blog, you’ve done a great job reporting, offering more insight and interest than other sources like newspapers. Thanks!
I love it. Great job on all the photos you did for this bridge. People like me, who weren’t able to get down there to see that stuff, you’ve done us a favor, and I thank you for it. I can’t help but wonder how it felt for the people who went over it first, the thoughts of it collapsing in the first place. And people wondering if they’ll ever cross it again without thinking of the collapse. I can’t wait to try driving over it, I think I will this weekend. Some of us meeting on Saturday evening, you joining? See the group website for details. Or ask Dusty or Werner.
Thanks, it was pretty rough getting up that early, but how many times does something like that happen?
I’ve enjoyed recording the events of the ridge over the past year and I knew I’d let my reads down if I didn’t record the final step.
Thanks, I look forward to seeing you and the gang Saturday.
- Mitch
I just heard the story of the bridge opening on NPR on my drive home from work. It was nice to follow that with your pictures. Thanks.
Hehe… I figured you’d be down there. Was kinda kicking around the idea of going there night before, but that would have meant getting up at what… 3:30 am? (I need a couple of cups of coffee to wake up). I just watched in on TV
Driving a friend home from dinner downtown tonight, we crossed the bridge. The big ol’ golden harvest moon was on one side, the Minneapolis skyline on the other, with those blue curvy sculptures on the bridge right ahead. So cool.
My buddy Mark said, “We’re crossing he safest bridge in America.”
I was the first car to lead in a 1991 Buick Park Ave. Promoting renewable fuel with a regular non flex. fuel car. The signs on both side say that ALL CAR CAN BLEND 50% ( 1/2 ethanol & 1/2 reg.gas ) I also had a camera man in the trunk of my Buick taking pictures of this grand event like you did because it was a once in a lifetime event to experience. after going on the north side to university ave. I then came back on the south side to Washington ave. and pulled into BOBBY & STEVES AUTO WORLD this is where they sell e85 renewable fuel and where I (the e85 man)promotes and hands out coupons to the cheapest e85 (made Minnesota U.S.A.)At Bobby & Steves Auto World. (Don Brown the e85 man)
I was the first car to go north on the Washington ave.with a camera man in the trunk of my 1991 Buick park ave. that has signs on both sides that read ALL CARS CAN BEND 50% (1/2 ethanol & 1/2 reg. gas)this Buick is a regular car that is not a flex fuel car and runs just great with a E85 blend of 50%, I took the University exit and came back on the south bound side to the Washington ave. exit and pulled into BOBBY & STEVES AUTO WORLD where you can buy E85 ethanol (made in Minnesota U.S.A.)where I promote,to give you a coupon to get the cheapest ethanol in Mpls.(about a dollars less than reg.gas) (Don the E85 Man)
I was there, and shot the event from the Stone Arch Bridge: http://www.flickr.com/photos/remandsager/2866963157/
My favorite is the last.