Cimarron bridge open for holiday

Construction crews on Thursday opened up all four through lanes of the new Cimarron Street bridge for Labor Day holiday traffic.

Although there will be spot lane closures next week as crews finish up some work, the new bridge will be fully opened permanently on Sept. 8, said city spokeswoman Mary Scott.

Still, even then, crews will be working, probably until the end of September, to finish up some aesthetic work on the bridge.

The bridge, a main link between downtown and the west side, was to have been fully opened by Aug. 28, but the city decided the pavement on the Fountain Creek bridge just east of the new bridge was just too ratty. Scott said it made sense to repave that area while the Cimarron bridge was being finished. The city also wanted some concrete barriers installed at the southwest corner of the new bridge to protect those using the bridge's sidewalk from passing traffic.

Scott said the bridge is costing a bit less than the $8.57 million set aside for the work.