Published: November 29, 2008 06:10 pm         

New bridge will open on Monday

The city of San Marcos will officially open the new pedestrian bridge between San Marcos Plaza Park and City Park at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday at 9:30 a.m.

Mayor Susan Narvaiz and the City Council will preside at the ceremony. The public is invited.

The span will open in time for the annual Sights and Sounds of Christmas festival Dec. 4-6 at the two parks, an event drawing more than 60,000 people.

The bridge will provide safe passage for pedestrians and bicycle riders from San Marcos Plaza Park over the river to City Park where it connects with sidewalks to the activity center and San Marcos Public Library. The pedestrian bridge is just north of Hopkins Street.

The 52-ton weathered steel structure was assembled in four pieces on site Nov. 14-15. The bridge was manufactured in Minnesota and transferred to Alabama where its four sections were constructed. The large sections, spanning a total of 195 feet, were then trucked to San Marcos

The bridge and Hopkins Street sidewalk project cost $841,918, including $517,045 in Community Development Block Grant funds and the balance from city capital improvements funds.   The city obtained state environmental and historical permits for the project.

The bridge abutments were engineered by Klotz Associates, Inc. and the bridge manufactured by Contech Bridge Solutions, Inc., of Alexandria, Mn. Shaffer Concrete of Pflugerville installed the bridge assisted by two 300-ton cranes provided by Alamo Crane Company of San Antonio. WideLite of San Marcos manufactured the specialized lighting for the bridge.

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