By Helen Borland / Staff

Finally, Grimes Bridge Road, a major connectivity thoroughfare in west Roswell, is finished.

It re-opened for through traffic amongst great fanfare and relief, for area residents, on December 16.

Gene Richards, who lives near the Adult Recreation Center, created a celebratory mood for the festive occasion by playing his saxophone. 

Steve Acenbrak, Director of the Roswell Transportation Department, proudly announced, “It’s a magnificent day in the City of Roswell.” The Grimes Bridge Road Bridge is the third Roswell Bridge under repair to re-open in as many months.

Rep. Harry Geisinger (R-Roswell) was on hand for the ribbon cutting along with Mayor Jere Wood. Wood, getting in the holiday spirit, proudly proclaimed, “this is a Christmas present for the whole City of Roswell.”

Wood told a story of riding his bike over the bridge a couple of years ago. “I was afraid to cross that old bridge, it was so shaky.”

A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS?

Planning for the new bridge project started 12 years ago. The outdated and weather- worn two-lane bridge was replaced with a unique, three legged structure.

According to Tom Ziegler of Gresham Smith and Partners, the triangular aspect and framing details required extensive planning.  The new bridge has sidewalks in all directions and meets all national design standards.  Careful attention was paid to aesthetics.  Some of the many improvements include wiring placed in conduits underneath the bridge to avoid visual clutter, low silhouetted textured wall panels that look like stacked stone to fit in with the setting of the adjacent National Park and pedestrian light sconces mounted into the walls to illuminate the sidewalk and the edge of the road at night.

The spanking new bridge was built in 14 months at a cost of $5.4 million, $707,744 of which was paid for by the City of Roswell.

But at least one local resident, Lowan Cowen, felt the city could have spent less money and made a smaller bridge. “Why do we need such an extravagant bridge?” she asked.

The bridge will allow for increased traffic on Grimes Bridge Road, but Cowen said she and her family would definitely use the sidewalks to walk to Waller Park extension and Grimes Bridge Park.

Tom Fraser was the first Roswell citizen to drive across the bridge – he did so in style – with the top down in his flashy red 1971 Buick Grand Sport convertible replica.

 
Wood summed up the christening: “It’s all good,” he said, coining his now infamous 2009 re-election slogan.