Advertisement
As tugboats and winches eased the bridge's giant arch into place, people gathered in parks and along the riverbanks to witness history in the making.
 |
Iron workers from Lunda Construction wait on the pilings for the arch to be moved into place and lowered so they can attach it to the pilings . Dick Riniker photo |
Many took photographs, some trained binoculars, and some took video footage.
"It's historic," said Alan Froegel of
La Crosse, who was at Houska Park with his wife and children. "The bridge will be here for a long time, and when (my children) grow up and have kids, they'll be able to say, ‘We saw that bridge put in place.' "
Clifton Aspeslet of Coon Valley marveled at the engineering spectacle.
"It's overwhelming to me," Aspeslet said. "Can you imagine the planning, the management skills it takes? It's just an awesome job.
"I'm a construction lover, I guess," he said. "I was here at 7 a.m. They traveled so slow you could hardly see it move. There was no rough water. They had this thing down to a science."
By mid-morning, there were so many spectators at Houska Park, "it was like a county fair down here," Aspeslet said.
"It went real slow, but it really didn't take very long for them to swing (the arch) around," Obie Nichols of La Crosse said.
Tim Gantenbein of Holmen went to see the new bridge on his lunch break. "It's kind of cool, but I don't know if I like the design. The two (bridges) don't look good together. Maybe I'll get used to it."
The adjacent Cass Street Bridge was opened to traffic again just after 3 p.m., several hours ahead of schedule. It was closed at 9 a.m. as a safety precaution.
"It fit like a glove," said Gary Snyder, bridge project leader for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. "As you can see, I have a big smile on my face."
Spectators also gathered at Riverside Park. At Pettibone Park on Barron Island near La Crescent, Minn., some people built a bonfire.
Tailgating? The crowds of people on both sides of the river made the occasion feel like a sporting event.
Lyle and Dee Peacock of La Crosse brought their young grandson to see the steel arch placed on support columns. It was built on three barges just south of the old bridge.
"I've been following it with pictures for the last couple of months," Lyle Peacock said of the overall project. "It's a pretty unique experience to see a new bridge going up."
Ed Hoskin can be reached at ehoskin@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8226.
