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Stewart Street Bridge to open today

Detours since June 2008 have taxed patience and lengthened trips.

Ahern and Associates Construction finishes work on the Stewart Street bridge. The bridge has been closed since June 2008. It is scheduled to open on Monday, Nov. 30. Staff photos by Ty Greenlees

Ty Greenlees/Staff Photographer Ahern and Associates Construction finishes work on the Stewart Street bridge. The bridge has been closed since June 2008. It is scheduled to open on Monday, Nov. 30. Staff photos by Ty Greenlees

ENLARGE PHOTO

Ahern and Associates Construction worker Ron Acree put shims under the guardrail of the Stewart Street bridge.

Ty Greenlees/Staff Photographer Ahern and Associates Construction worker Ron Acree put shims under the guardrail of the Stewart Street bridge.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Angela Watson Gay  and Steve Bennish, Staff Writers Updated 7:41 AM Monday, November 30, 2009

DAYTON — The opening of the Stewart Street bridge at noon Monday, Nov. 30, is worth celebrating if you are a business, resident or governmental agency relying on the east-west route spanning the Great Miami River.

Detours since the bridge closed in June 2008 have strained tempers and lengthened trips for groceries and other necessities, residents say.

Leonard Turner, 83, and his wife Edith, 78, of West Stewart Street, are among the celebrants. They’ve lived on their well-kept street since 1958. Trips to Kroger, doctor’s appointments and other regular errands became something of a hassle. “We had to go around downtown, uptown, all over town to get somewhere,” Edith said. “Now that it’s open it will be a big relief.”

Life will also get easier for clients of the Job Center, 1111 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd., operated by Montgomery County Job and Family Services.

“All of our (client) numbers have increased because of the economy,” said Ann Stevens, spokeswoman. “The re-opening will make it easier for clients to get to the services, and for employees to get to Brown Street at lunchtime.”

Drivers taking detours through Veterans Park meant danger for runners, bikers and the homeless, she added.

“It’s just not meant to be a thoroughfare and that’s what happened with the bridge being down,” Stevens said.

Brady Kress, director and CEO Dayton History and the Carillon Historical Park, said he’s happy bridge work has wrapped up.

“Kudos to everyone, Kress said. “They did a fantastic job.”

Kress said he was impressed with by the speed of the construction, and the beauty of the design. “It looks gorgeous,” Kress said.

Christmas trees are being prepared for sale at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds at Main and Stewart. With bridge construction completed two weeks early, shoppers will have an easier time, said Dan Bullen, general manager of the fairgrounds.

Patrick McGaha, area director of sales for Marriott International, Inc., and its hotel at 1414 S. Patterson Blvd., said the hotel had a strong year, even with the bridge down.

The inconvenience of the construction was well worth it, he added. “Everything that’s being done down there is really cleaning up the area,” McGaha said. “It gives a much better representation to the city.”

Overall, the package designed by Woolpert Inc. of Dayton is impressive — visually and otherwise. The new 651-foot reinforced concrete span is a “hybrid pier bridge,” with piers into the riverbed that hold “Y” shaped bridge supports, said general contractor Ahern & Associates Inc. project manager Sean Wade.

The bridge is 93 feet wide with 10.5-foot wide sidewalks on each side. The old bridge was slightly shorter and about 75-feet wide, Wade said. When the bridge opens to traffic, workers will still be finishing up some tasks including installing under-bridge lighting, Wade added.

There will be a ceremony open to the public at noon on Monday.

University of Dayton Flyers mascot Rudy Flyer will lead the precession of vehicles across the new bridge for the first time.

Spectators are asked to arrive at the eastern end of the bridge at Stewart St. & Patterson Blvd. (western end of the bridge will be closed until after the ceremony). Parking will be available on the bridge (eastern end only) and Veterans Parkway.

For more information on the event, please call (937) 333-3616.

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to whom it may concern I am glad to see Ahern go belly up because that create smore work for the local 290 Ironworkers.I got a job Scott Brown how about you.

brad parker
3:17 PM, 1/6/2010

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Yes a pat on the back to the employees who labored on the bridge!As for the companay Ahern they need to rethink their decision to sell the company to kokosing.It sounds to me like greed is a big factor in the decision!SHAME ON YOU Ahern & ***.

Citzen
8:09 PM, 12/27/2009

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You want a great story?First of all I helped build that bridge employed for Ahern and we appreciate any comments given to us because the company doesnt appreciate us!Now that the bridge is done the owner decide to sell a profitable company out from under us with no warning just the thought of lining his(Jim Ahern) pockets.so we need the credit from somewhere!

disgruntled employee
7:40 PM, 12/27/2009

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What the bridge needs is a transit lane. I hope Mayor Mclin makes it to the opening. I love her hats and wonderful speeches!

Karon
12:47 PM, 11/30/2009

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How it looks and feels, hmmm?

How about: how much did it cost? and was it finished under or over budget?

It's time for us, the individual taxpayers to ask the tough questions.

If under budget - then lets give a "well done" to the designers and construction folks.

If over budget. why?

Finally - if this was a union job - how much our taxpayer money was sent back to the Democratic party? Now DDN -- that would be a great story!

I love the bridge.

GQ
12:31 PM, 11/30/2009

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