Saturday was a big day for Downtown Denver as the new Highland Bridge over Interstate 25 had its dedication and grand opening celebration. The 320-foot long span represents the final member in a trio of new pedestrian bridges that connects the historic Highland district with the rest of Downtown. The not-quite-finished-but-close-enough-for-a-party bridge had temporary chain-link fencing along its sides to keep folks from falling onto the highway below (the permanant railing should be installed by the end of the week), but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds of people who joined in the festivities. Here are a few photos from Saturday:
1. The Bryant-Webster Elementary School Mariachi Band kicked off the celebration with an excellent performance.
2. Mayor Hickenlooper delivering his now-famous “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it” speech.
3. The release of doves immediately followed the ribbon-cutting.
4. The crowd heading over to the Platte Street side of the bridge.
5. A very large Highland Bridge Dedication cake.
6. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the Highland Bridge Lofts featured several future developers.
7. The view from the Highland Bridge of the other two bridges and Downtown.
8. The glow-stick parade making its way across the new bridge.
9. The celebration concluded with a colorful light show and food, drink, and live music.
