(GALLERY ON THESOUTHPARKNEWS.COM: See it here. And report #2 is in the works for WSB)
Introducing the new South Park Bridge, opening to traffic first thing Monday morning! #SPBridge pic.twitter.com/t67UEXM7zO
— King County, WA (@kcnews) June 30, 2014
4:43 PM: The new South Park Bridge is officially open – if you’re on foot (vehicle traffic won’t be permitted until tomorrow morning at 6 am)!
Bridge open for walking! This is the view to the northeast side. #spbridge pic.twitter.com/qFhOyGckd8
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 29, 2014
This followed an epic dedication ceremony:
Says @kcexec – This is the day we deliver on a promise #spbridge pic.twitter.com/fKihgrAK9A
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 29, 2014
We have it all on video and will have it in a separate story later (lots of photos too, of course). Most importantly, the street party is scheduled to run until about 9 pm, so you have time to get here, walk on the bridge, enjoy the Lucha Libre masked wrestling that starts around 6 pm …
Earlier:
2:05 PM NOTE: We’re heading back to SP for the heart of the party, but we visited in the noon hour and are already building a gallery on The South Park News.
Scroll down here on WSB, meantime, for helpful advance info if you’re planning to go. And watch the WSB Instagram feed between official updates.
And earlier still:
EARLIER, 10:57 AM: Few planned activities/events on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar today – the city’s biggest event is downtown, the Pride Parade, starting shortly (11 am). But in the “almost West Seattle” category, our neighbors in South Park are celebrating the new bridge today, on the eve of its official opening tomorrow, exactly 4 years after the old one was taken out of service.
(Added: WSB photo taken after today’s bridge party started at noon)
So here’s what you need to know if you’re planning on, or thinking about, going to the party. First, a map (the party’s on the south side of the bridge, on 14th Avenue South)! Now, today’s schedule, from the King County website:
12:00 – 3:00 p.m. — Street party: music & performances, info booths, self-guided tours of the bridge’s south tower, food & drink
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Dedication ceremony with elected officials & community leaders; fireworks
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. — Parade [you can walk on the bridge!]
6:00 – 9:00 p.m. — Lucha Libre; street party continues
Elected officials announced so far for the 3 pm event include U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, County Executive Dow Constantine, Mayor Ed Murray, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott. Info about street closures, parking, and bus changes during today’s party is at the bottom of this page. We’ll be covering the events here and at TheSouthParkNews.com. If you’re just waiting for the chance to use that route across the Duwamish again, take note that the new bridge will NOT be open for regular use until 6 am tomorrow (Monday).
P.S. Browse our photo galleries previewing the new bridge – looking at its exterior (including the new raingarden in the footprint of the old bridge); peeking inside during a behind-the-scenes media tour.
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