Dallas' newest bridge dedicated this weekend

[txstateends]

But -- not open, yet.  The 3-day coming out party for the maybe-iconic, definitely controversial, Margaret Hunt Hill bridge (which is a western extension of Woodall Rodgers Freeway) is this weekend, with music, parties, and other events.  Recent rains though, have slowed some of the approach work (mostly a connecting ramp from I-35E and some street and signal work at the western end of the bridge) to where it won't be open to drive on till the end of March.

In lieu of Google Street View (or similar sources), the connections are:
East end, WB-- Besides the obvious continuance WB from the Woodall Rodgers (semi-secret Spur 366) main lanes, only a SB I-35E to WB ramp will exist.  No NB I-35E-to-WB connection.
East end, EB-- a left-exit ramp to Riverfront Blvd. (for those who've been to Dallas in the past, that is the old "Industrial Blvd." between downtown and the Trinity River) and a ramp to a cloverleaf leading to Continental (which merges with the NB I-35E ramp to Continental).  If you go through the light at Continental instead of turning either direction, there is a ramp there to get on NB I-35E.  This is the only way to connect EB to I-35E; no direct ramp to SB I-35E.
West end, WB/EB-- an at-grade intersection to WB Singleton Blvd., SB Beckley St., and NB-to-WB Canada Drive.  Definitely one of the more controversial parts of the bridge project.  Previously, the adjacent Continental Ave. bridge connected directly to Singleton but was grade-separated over Beckley and Canada.  This could be somewhat of a problem for unfamiliar motorists WB thinking that the freeway keeps going after the bridge, but will instead be surprised to see a signal and direct cross-streets.

OK, kids, put on your party hats.....

Margaret Hunt Hill bridge coverage
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/margaret-hunt-hill-bridge/

Opening gala photos
http://www.dallasnews.com/photos/20120302-margaret-hunt-hill-bridge-opening-gala.ece

On the bridge: Today, the party throws open the doors
http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/03/on-the-bridge-today-the-party.html

A local photographer's slideshow
http://www.dallasobserver.com/slideshow/the-margaret-hunt-hill-bridge-10-stunning-justin-terveen-pics-36232070/#1

Looking back at the 2005 groundbreaking
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/03/friday_flashback_when_they_bro.php


Amazingly enough, the new bridge's debut comes exactly 100 years after the opening of the first successful Trinity River crossing in Dallas, the Houston Street Viaduct (which is still in use today): http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/pan.6a10336/


EDIT, more coverage links I forgot:

Official site
http://www.mhhbridgecelebration.com/

KDFW/4 story
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/dallas-hosts-party-for-landmark-bridge-030212

KTVT/11 story
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/03/02/dallas-margaret-hunt-hill-signature-bridge-opens/

[txstateends]

Oh, *update*::::

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Speed-Across-Hunt-Hill-Bridge-to-be-35-MPH-143326336.html

Over the river, the speed limit will be 35 mph, while between the east levee and I-35E it will be 40 mph.  Something tells me those signs will be largely ignored or looked at strangely....

[txstateends]

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/03/margaret-hunt-hill-bridge-to-o.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/20120329-editorial-calatrava-bridge-an-iconic-contender.ece

As of now, the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge is open to traffic, from the I-35E ramp, existing Woodall Rodgers approach, and the west end where Singleton and Beckley meet.  There is still work to finish on the ramps to/from Riverfront (the old Industrial Blvd.), now they say those will be done next month.

These are the first YouTubes posted in the last couple of days of people (decidedly NOT roadfans or regulars of this forum!) driving across; between all of them, you'll get most of the idea of the current scope of the bridge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbGGI2PWL40
(probably the best at looking at the road and NOT shaking their camera)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJdW0TseBWQ
(this one pays a little more attention to the arch overhead than the road)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-hrS8xEtWA
(the narrator is a bit "valley girl"-ish but up to 1:30 she does a pretty good WB job; after 1:30 she continues onto Singleton wondering what re-development possibilities there are in west Dallas...I get the strange feeling she has something to do with real estate)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-hrS8xEtWA
(his camera is on his hat, so stock up on your Dramamine...he's a writer for Dallas' alt-paper, the Observer, and clearly isn't as tech-savvy as even the average bear --you get a bit of non-bridge stuff in the process)

So, now that we've recovered from all that, besides the not-ready-for-drive-time Riverfront ramps and a bit of last housekeeping, the biggest difference I see from the pix/vids I saw of the dedication a few weeks ago, are the EB BGS's.

The first ones east of Singleton/Beckley:  Now the right one has a sloppily/hastily-changed display of "I-35E NORTH Denton" instead of "Continental Ave".; while the blue-tarped one is, understandably, the Riverfront Blvd. one that will un-tarp after the ramps are finished.

The ones after the bridge arch EB:  the blue-tarped one is the Riverfront exit ramp BGS; the right-side one did just say "Continental Ave.", but now a hastily-added/strangely-placed I-35E shield has been included (sounds like someone finally got a clue about needing to point out I-35E connections, but almost too late); and again, as with the BGS's from US 75, I-45, and I-35E, no shield labeling the road ahead as Spur 366... just a little lowly "TO 75" sign.

Also, from the shaky last YT vid, the Continental bridge is still open for now, but that shouldn't last much longer as work is upcoming to transform that bridge to a pedestrian/bicycle park of some kind.