New bridge offers much to celebrate

Local historian Dr. Frank Nickell put it this way: A bridge brings people together.

It certainly did so Saturday, as thousands of people gathered to witness the dedication and opening of the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge. Despite the frigid temperatures, the snow held off and thousands crowded onto the new $100 million structure to get their first up-close glimpse.

As those who were there will tell you, the event was wonderful.

It had all the pomp and circumstance of a big-city parade with Southeast Missouri's own touch. Children played on the bridge. Many camera-toting individuals snapped pictures from every angle. People looked like tourists, with heads turned skyward as if looking at a skyscraper.

Vendors sold commemorative items. There were biking and running events. There were marching bands. Clydesdales pulled a wagon across the bridge. Old model cars drove across the bridge and back, with honored guests inside.

All of this was a backdrop for one of the most important parts of the day: honoring the late Bill Emerson, the bridge's namesake who played an integral part in getting the bridge built.

Emerson, a longtime congressman from Southeast Missouri, played a key role in securing funding for the bridge. In 1994, he told federal transportation officials that the bridge needed to be a top priority. Later that year, a contract was awarded for Highway 74, and two years after that the first $1 million was released to launch the bridge's construction.

Without his persistence, the bridge would never have been built. Emerson died in 1996, a month before the bridge's groundbreaking.

But Emerson's presence was felt Saturday. His daughters, countless friends and his widow -- U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson -- all were there. Congresswoman Emerson said her late husband "built bridges of a different kind. He connected good ideas with the people who could make them work. He inspired his constituents and his colleagues. He put Americans in touch with the inner resources they needed to fulfill their potential."

The new bridge is a testament to that philosophy.

The bridge is a practical addition to our community, providing safety as well as promise.

But, as Bill Emerson understand all too well, life is about making connections with people. People were there Saturday to celebrate the majestic new structure that will improve their lives.