The old bridge is jumping. The Harahan Bridge opened for business in 1916…and it was the first bridge of its type, crossing the Mississippi River, that was built to allow not only railroad traffic, but cars and trucks.
Nobody has legally set foot on the vehicle roadways of the bridge since 1949. But after years of planning, and $18 million, everything has changed. It is now the centerpiece of a $40-million Main to Main project. People are again allowed to walk, or jog, or cycle across the Mississippi River.
Ernest Gibson of Memphis couldn’t wait for the official ribbon cutting. He and other members of his Saturday morning runners club decided to take a trip across the mile long span for themselves. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “We were over in Arkansas when we had to stop…take it all in…take a photo and really celebrate the gems Memphis has.”
Consider what Ernest said. In a community where we often focus on negative things, crime, murder, poverty…the good things are often overlooked. It is hard to overlook a mile long pedistrian roadway that is attached to a century old bridge that spans the Mississippi River. “This is going to be a hotbed for cycling enthusiasts and joggers from all over the world,” says Kevin Kane of the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau.
What is interesting is, the owner of the bridge almost shot the whole plan down. The Union Pacific Railroad thought the idea was a total safety hazard. “Safety is our main business,:” says Union Pacific Vice President Scott Moore. But after working with designers, and demanding a 15 foot high fence be erected between the pedestrians and the working rail lines, they gave the Big River Crossing a big thumbs up.
Mayor Jim Strickland of Memphis says this project is not only good for the city’s residents and tourists, it will help in economic development. “When we’re trying to attract companies or retain companies in our city,” he said, “…they want to attract the best and the brightest young people to come work for them. And young people look for these kind of amenities in the cities they want to live in.”
The crossing will be open from dawn to 10:00pm.
