(Our “as-it-happened” first report on tonight’s South Park Bridge closure can be seen here)

At the end of our “as it happened” first report on tonight’s South Park Bridge shutdown and wake, we added a clip showing the bridge’s final few minutes, right around 8 pm – siren sounding, bells clanging, gates going down, drawbridge coming up, then a toast, and a song. Now, some other moments to share – first, the top clip, the chant that broke out after South Park’s Bill Pease, using the loudspeaker from a deputy’s car, suggested a moment of silence. (This was from the mildly defiant crowd that refused to move as far back as authorities asked them to – in the end, they “won,” and got to watch the drawbridge-opening from just behind the striped gates.) Meantime, the final vehicles to cross were long-retired buses, brought back out for the occasion – part of our team was at the south end of the bridge as the barricades were moved just long enough for one to head up:

Next, more of the sounds of farewell: Members of the Northwest Junior Pipe Band played toward the end, up near the bridge-tender tower on the west side:

Also performing as a tribute to the bridge … Duwamish Tribe drummers:

Still more to come – video and photos. Even if you don’t have any particular sentiment regarding the South Park Bridge, this was quite the spectacle.