After five long years of hard work and incredible engineering and construction challenges, the new Narrows Bridge opened to traffic on Monday, July 16.  The first morning commute across the new bridge was as if someone had lifted a curtain of congestion - for the first time in years, traffic flowed on State Route 16 at highway speeds throughout the morning.  Monday was also the first day of tolling, and an incredible 75% of motorists crossed the bridge by paying tolls electronically using WSDOT's Good To Go! program.  That high a percentage of electronic tollpayers on the the first day of operation is unmatched nationwide. 

 

The previous day, Sunday, July 15, was equally spectacular as the public joined WSDOT, contractor Tacoma Narrows Constructors and its subcontractors, tolling operator TransCore, and myriad politicians for an opening celebration.  The day began with a 5K benefit run sponsored by Multicare in which over 10,000 runners participated.  Following the run, the first ceremonial toll was paid by Washington Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and Washington Treasurer Michael Murphy.  The bridge deck then opened to over 60,000 members of the public to walk across at their leisure.  Various dedication ceremonies took place along the bridge deck, and everyone present had the chance to stamp "passports" and cut souvenir sections of "I Cut the Ribbon" tape at numerous ribbon-cutting and passport stations.  Share in the fun of the new Narrows Bridge opening celebration by visiting WSDOT's site at www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/