Yes the bridge, yes the bridge,
Yes the bridge is back.
No more detours, highway’s in the past.
Take the bridge, take the bridge
It’s the new direct route.
Just relax when it moves—
That’s what drawbridges do.
Whoa-oh-oh.
This drawbridge reopened yesterday after a few years of construction that interfered with getting from our neighborhood, and other by-ways and residential parts of Greater New Bern, to downtown. The trip required more time, with a short detour onto a busy highway. (This was nothing compared to yer average Northeastern commute.) As they sensed their customers migrating to other establishments reached more efficiently, retailers and restauranteurs felt that the limited access and prolonged building process was the bitter icing on the sagging cake of the national economy.
Now, however, "Everyone's celebrating," as the proprietor of Mitchell's Hardware said rapturously, his face aglow not only from the setting sun, during an evening stroll on the first day the bridge was open to traffic. Indeed, there was a festive, Renoir-ish feel to the scene, with a stream of cars (carrying happy spenders, one hopes) going into town, and a stream of pedestrians going the other way on the sidewalk hung with red and yellow banners. Parents pushed strollers ("Yes, Tanitha, you were on that bridge the very first day!") and young couples snapped commemorative photos of each other against the background of marina and sunset.
The governor will be here for the official dedication on Monday, they say.
