Walsh Lifts Spans and Spirits

My daughter just got her first bike, and has been riding it on nearly every street in Downtown Madison. Last Monday, we took her bike for a cruise on the beautiful riverfront, near our house. As we approached the waterfront, I immediately noticed the crowd of people. Lawn chairs lined the grassy area beside the bricked walkway. I suddenly remembered what was happening: Walsh Construction was in the midst of its second major span lift in the construction of a new bridge across the Ohio.

The goings-on of Walsh and the new bridge construction have been a bit like background music or scenery to the ears and eyes of my family. We have a fantastic view of the bridge from our bedroom window, and we walk, bike, or run along the river almost daily. My family talks about the bridge project a lot. The construction is exciting and we celebrate the major steps along the way as Walsh’s progresses.

Last Monday, it seemed that the rest of our town was celebrating, too. There were cars parked at every space from St. Michael’s to Vine Street.  Spectators used binoculars and zoom lenses to get a better view as they patiently waited for the slow, but steady lift of the span. The whole event had the feel of a community gathering. Bench seats were taken up by old friends and married couples sitting with their dogs or children, enjoying the beautiful weather and excited to witness a piece of history. If our newspaper still had a society column, I would be willing to bet that viewing bridge construction on the banks of the river would be listed as a main event to see and be seen at.

This time-lapse video shows how Walsh worked around the clock to complete this impressive task.

~ Angela