Fair / 57° F
Bridge on track to open next week
Published 11:29am Wednesday, October 31, 2012The weather has stayed just warm and dry enough to keep the POW–MIA Veterans Bridge project on track for the past two weeks, and the bridge is still expected to be open to the public sometime next week.
The final layer of paving is expected to be finished today if temperatures permit, and pavement marking painting will begin in the next couple days, city engineer Dan Edwards said.
Painting is even more temperature sensitive than paving because of the higher quality paint the project has called for. Temperatures need to be around 50 degrees for any painting to happen, he said. The forecast calls for a high of 53 degrees today with no rain.
Lines, turn arrows, rail road crossings and stop lines all need to be painted before the bridge can open. There is a long stretch of roadway that includes a center turn lane, so a lot of paint is required, said Edwards.
For safety purposes, residents are cautioned to stay off the bridge until it is officially open to the public. Just because it is possible to drive a vehicle on or over the bridge does not mean it is safe or legal.
“We want to make sure people are careful,” Edwards said. “People should not be driving over the bridge until full completion.”
Edwards also said it should be noted that the dedication ceremony does not mark the opening of the bridge. The POW–MIA Veterans Bridge dedication ceremony is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5 at City Hall. The bridge will likely open a few days after this ceremony.
