Various local, state and federal representatives were on hand Tuesday for the ribbon cutting for the new Lt Commander John C Waldron Memorial bridge over the Missouri River between Pierre and Fort Piere. Sd Department of Transportation paid nearly $50 million for the project. Department Secretary Joel Jundt said planning for the new bridge began nearly a decade before the construction began in May of 2021.
The bridge fully opened to traffic in the fall of 2024. Governor Larry Rhoden said not only does the Waldron Memorial Bridge connect the communities of Fort Pierre and Pierre, but it also connects the traditional ways of life on either side of the state.
Along with the motoring public Pierre Mayor Steve Harding said the new bridge will better accommodate non vehicle users than the previous one did.
An average of 17,000 vehicles cross the Lt Commander John C Waldron memorial bridge between Pierre and Fort Pierre each day. The life expectancy for the new structure is 100 years.
Photo shows new bridge and supports for previous bridge built in the mid 1980’s. The previous bridge was demolished earlier this month.
Credit DRG Media Group
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