Human Ingenuity at its Finest

The Bridge is Open:

Traffic is moving across the new 35W bridge that opened at 5 a.m.

The procession was led by representatives of agencies that were the first responders in the bridge collapse: fire, police, Hennepin County and North Memorial. They were followed by MnDOT trucks with sturdy, wide bumpers that kept drivers in line. The procession rarely went over 10 mph.

A part of the Twin Cities is whole again, but lest not forget those the most effected:

For more than a year, Andy Gannon has lived with the image of the Interstate 35W bridge heaving and tossing cars as it crashed into the Mississippi River and dropped out from under him.

With the 10 lanes of the gleaming new span set to open to regular traffic this morning, Gannon is eager to drive himself over it. He knows in his head that the bridge is safe, but he feels a strong need to physically prove to himself that he can trust it.

Unfortunately, the parkway isn't ready yet:

The Minnesota Department of Transportation had said the freeway bridge and the parkway would open at the same time. But MnDOT spokesman Kevin Gutknecht said Tuesday that the parkway needed more paving and would reopen a few days later than planned.

Paths along the parkway will open when the road does, he said.

I guess our trip to Rock tonight will bee along the normal route. The Grand Rounds trail will have to wait for another day.

Flash

Sherry Engebretsen
Artemio Trinidad-Mena
Julia Blackhawk
Patrick Holmes
Peter Hausmann
Paul Eickstadt
Greg Jolstad
Scott Sathers
Christina Sacorafas
Sadiya Sahal
Hanah Sahal
Vera Peck
Richard Chit

UPDATE: CNN has more!