This winter was harsh and this spring has been wet, and despite all that the new Dallas Avenue bridge over Valley Creek was open for traffic ahead of the original May 1 deadline.

We all had our issues with the project and the traffic snarls it caused.

We all drove up to the barriers as the work began last year and stretched through the winter and spring. We all wondered if it would be ready in time, and we dreaded having to take the detour if it wasn’t.

We were anxious when we considered the traffic havoc that would ensue if the bridge wasn’t open in time for this weekend’s AHSAA track meet.

In the end, all those worries were simply unfounded.

It’s time we come together to thank those at the Alabama Department of Transportation and the various construction companies and contractors who made the new span possible.

We thank them for their hard-work and determination over the past year.

We know the winter’s snow and the spring’s rains only slowed down the work, and still, two lanes of the bridge were open for traffic a week before the deadline.

So, again, to everyone that played a role in getting this bridge built on time, we want to say thank you for all the hard work.