Drivers Impressed With New 41st Street Bridge

SIOUX FALLS, SD - The 41st street bridge project is halfway done. Two months after construction started drivers are hitting the new pavement.
Traffic was moved from the old half of the bridge Friday night to the new part, so that crews can start the next phase of construction.

"It was nice and smooth, and they're doing a good job, and we're happy that they're working hard," 41st street traveler Barbara VerMeer said.

Crews have been working hard ever since the end of March to raise the bridge and meet federal flood control guidelines. The new half of the bridge was unveiled Friday afternoon when cars were re-routed onto the fresh pavement. 

"It's a lot better. Makes it a lot easier. It's a nice bridge. I think it will be a lot better for the people coming up and down the road," driver Kevin Click said. 

"It's very pretty. I think they've done a really good job so far," VerMeer said.

Because the bridge had to be raised there is a little hump in the middle of the new street. It only took two months to build and drivers are amazed by how fast the new half went up.

"Impressive, I would say. I'm not an engineer of any sort but I would say for a bridge, especially on a street like 41st with all the detours and all the problems that could cause, I would say that's pretty quick," driver Calvin Watts said.

"I've done construction before, so I know it takes a little bit of time and a lot of planning getting this construction going, so they did it pretty quick, a good job," Click said.

A job that is only half done, but is already getting good reviews from the drivers coming and going.

Crews have moved all of the east and west traffic onto the new part of the bridge. They will now start tearing down the south half of the bridge and re-building that. They hope that also takes only two months so the entire bridge will be open by the middle of August.