DAYTON — Following a two-year, $17 million reconstruction project, the West Third Street bridge over the Great Miami River has officially reopened to traffic Wednesday morning.
>>PHOTOS: West Third Street bridge reopens after 2 years of construction
Known as the Dayton Peace Bridge, county engineers reopened the bridge to traffic at 9 a.m. after it closed at the end of 2019 for the reconstruction project, a Montgomery County spokesperson said in a media release. The project was tabbed as the largest bridge project in county to replace the 114-year-old structure.
“We had a series of discussions with artists, historians, journalists and citizens from Wright Dunbar Neighborhood,” County Engineer Paul Gruner said in the media release.
>>Largest bridge project in Montgomery County history nears end; opening planned for later in fall
“There was agreement that our Peace Bridge should speak to African American struggles, our city’s rich history, and the legacy of this important structure. I think everyone involved is very proud of the results.”
County leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony in October but the bridge remained closed to traffic while finishing touches were made.
“This new structure is beautiful, both from the bridge deck and the bike path below, and it will be illuminated at night to feature all this lovely art. It’s really an attraction for Dayton and Montgomery County,” Montgomery County Commission President Judy Dodge said previously during the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“Art features include sculptures of the original 1963 Peace March, the Wright brothers, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King. The bridge has ornate observation platforms and a wide pedestrian walkway, adorned with African Adinkra symbols that each represent a different healthy, peaceful human behavior,” the county spokesperson said.
The bridge was build using 89 percent federal funding and the remaining funds came from Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, Ohio Public Works Commission and the Montgomery County Engineers Office.