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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Cross Street Bridge Grand Opening

After 18 months of construction, the $16 million Cross Street Bridge above Otter Creek will open this Saturday, Oct. 30. Joe Colangelo, the assistant town manager, and Douglas Anderson, the executive director of the Town Hall Theater, have spent a significant amount of time preparing for the grand opening festivities. All are invited to attend the celebration, which starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“I think it is a historic day for the town,” said Colangelo. “Hopefully the celebration is a way for everyone in the community to take pride in what we accomplished and to have fun.”
On Friday evening, the bridge will be illuminated by a variety of colored searchlights. The following morning, there is a “Fun Run” from the Town Green to the bridge. All children who participate get a free hat once they reach the new structure. After the run, there will be local food and drinks for all to enjoy from about eight of the town’s restaurants. Colangelo said there will be a beer and food tent, and Two Brother’s will only serve local alcohol from Otter Creek Brewery, Lincoln Vineyard and Woodchuck Cider. There will also be an assortment of performances from local musicians, like the Hibernators, a Celtic singing group and Va-et-Vient, a trio of Franco-American dancers. Several of the College’s groups, including the Middlebury College Community Chorus, the Mischords and Riddim also plan to perform.
In honor of the grand opening, the Otter Creek Bakery has baked a Bridge Cake and the U.S. Postal Service has printed a postage stamp featuring the bridge.
“The stamp has attracted much publicity from collectors all over the world,” said Colangelo.
Radio station 92.1 will be broadcasting live all day, as well.
The official grand opening ceremony, “First Across,” begins at 4 p.m. The Maiden Vermont chorus, an all-woman group, will sing the National Anthem. The last time they sang this piece was at Fenway Park before a Boston Red Sox game. Speeches will follow, as will a special classic car parade. There will be one car from every decade since 1891, which was when the Battell Bridge opened in the town. The first car to cross the bridge will be an exact replica of the carriage that first crossed the Battell Bridge. Two horses from Morgan Horse Farm will pull the carriage, and a member of the community will dress up like Henry Sheldon, as he drove the carriage across Battell Bridge in 1891. Colangelo said the last car to cross the Cross Street Bridge will be a Toyota Prius, and Ron Liebowitz, President of the College, will drive the vehicle.
“It should be a fun day and hopefully the weather will hold and a lot of people will show up,” said Colangelo. “We hope that college students will stop by and become part of it, too.”
Jer Coons, a native of the town who now has several songs on iTunes, and the Grift will lead street dancing and singing at 4:30 p.m., followed by fireworks at 6:30 p.m. The bridge will then officially be open for the town.

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