After three years in the works, commuters will appreciate the official opening of the Bayway Bridge in Pinellas County.
Grand opening celebrations begin today for the new bridge leading to St. Pete Beach, which cost $41 million.
In 2010, the Florida Department of Transportation started planning the replacement of the old Pinellas Bayway Drawbridge.
Built in 1962, the bridge was declared functionally obsolete by FDOT four years ago.
Residents living in nearby Isla Del Sol say traffic on the old bridge, and throughout construction, was terrible at times.
"Huge traffic ties ups, especially during season and all that," said resident Gaye Iacobell. "Sometimes the draw bridge would get stuck, so we had a problem with that, so this has been a great thing for the area."
The new Bayway Bridge has four lanes, and it’s a high level, fixed bridge, so it no longer stops cars for boats.
Also, pedestrians and cyclists can walk or ride safely on a designation walkway across the 2,600-foot span.