• Construction began in April 2010.
• The bridge cost came in at $670 million including land acquisition, utility relocation and construction
• The total bridge span has 16.367 million pounds of structural steel and 12 million pounds of reinforcing steel.

Area residents will have a rare chance Saturday to see the new Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge up close before it officially opens to vehicle traffic on Sunday.

The public is invited to test I-70’s new span over the Mississippi River between noon and 4 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. followed at 3 p.m. by a parade with military and classic car organizations.

MoDOT spokesman Drew Gates says he expects 10,000 to 20,000 visitors to attend, but parking will be restricted on the bridge and very limited nearby.

“We have worked with Metro to set up a shuttle service in the downtown area near parking lots and parking garages,” he said, “so that people can come down, get on that special shuttle, be taken out to the bridge and then be taken back in when they’re ready to leave the area.”

Shuttle services from downtown locations will run from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Gates. People can catch one of the free bridge shuttles at:

• 6^th Street north of Washington (west side of street)
• Washington and 7^th Street at the Metro Store (north side of street)
• 9^th  Street  between Washington Avenue and Convention Plaza (east side of street)
• 9^th Street and Cole Street (east side of street)
• 11^th Street and Cole Street (north side of street)

Construction on the bridge, which cost nearly $230 million, began in 2010. It’s the largest of 37 components making up the $695-million New Mississippi River Bridge project to re-route I-70 off the Poplar Street Bridge.

Regular vehicle traffic on the bridge is planned to begin Sunday afternoon.

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