consists primarily of small barges , while fishing boats and other recreational craft are much more common sights .
Over the river , a projected 7,900 motor vehicles and countless pedestrians and bicyclists will cross the new bridge each day .
New bridge features “ one-of-akind design ”
The new Veterans Memorial Bridge is considered a “ signature bridge ,” a term that typically applies to a structure defined as a one-of-a-kind design .
The bridge ’ s series of wide , concrete deck arches and its dramatic night lighting make it a visually arresting structure when viewed from afar .
From up close one appreciates the many amenities that make the bridge more than just a means of crossing the river . Those include fishing piers on the east and west ends of the bridge and a bridge deck that has eight-foot-wide , ADA-accessible sidewalks on both its north and south sides . These sidewalks feature handrails , decorative lighting fixtures and scenic overlooks . They even have charging stations for the battery-powered scooters that many seniors use to traverse the bridge .
Ayres team conducts bridge ’ s “ initial inspection ”
Before the new bridge could open , Ayres ’ four-person inspection team , which included commercially trained divers , thoroughly examined the structure from end to end , above and below the surface of the Halifax River .
In what is formally known as an “ initial inspection ,” conducted over four days in April and May , the Ayres team searched for any defects in the structural
22 | TRENDS Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .