Green light for Greensferry
<p>A Post Falls police vehicle "cuts" the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the Greensferry Overpass on Thursday in Post Falls.</p>
<p>From left to right, A1C Jessica Payne, Tech. Sgt. Carlos Torres and SrA Charles Nichols stand in front of an American flag they raised above the Greensferry Overpass during the dedication of the new bridge on Thursday in Post Falls. Two flags, flown above the nation's and state's capitol buildings, fly in the middle of the overpass in honor of the military and first responders.</p>
<p>JAKE PARRISH/Press Technical Sgt. Carlos Torres holds a folded American flag that was flown over the nation's and state's capitol buildings before raising the flag above the Greensferry Overpass for the first time during the overpass' dedication on Thursday in Post Falls.</p>
<p>JAKE PARRISH/Press More than 500 people of all ages walk across the Greensferry Overpass to mark its official opening on Thursday in Post Falls. The bridge will link north and south Post Falls for cars and pedestrians.</p>
POST FALLS — Al Hedman took his grandchildren for a special bike ride Thursday on a route that's been 20 years in the making.
Hedman was all smiles as he biked from his house off Mullan Avenue north of Interstate 90 to his Huckleberry Thicket business on Seltice Way on the south side of the freeway with grandkids Jax and Sydney via the new Greensferry overpass that opened to traffic late Thursday afternoon.
"We wanted to be the first ones to ride our bikes over it," Hedman said before a patriotic dedication ceremony attended by about 500 citizens, government officials, business leaders, construction workers and students.
"This is going to be great because, with the kids, you could never go on Highway 41 or Idaho Street."
Flags that had flown at the capitol buildings in Boise and Washington, D.C., were raised by Post Falls Police and American Legion Post 143 honor guards on both sides of the overpass so freeway travelers in both directions will see a flag that will also be lit at night.
The flags were passed along via the honor guards from the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency, which funded the $15 million overpass, to the city of Post Falls and Idaho Transportation Department, signifying the change in ownership.
"They may be the only flags flying directly over Interstate 90 from Seattle to Boston," said Larry Carstensen, an Urban Renewal Agency commissioner and Air Force veteran. "Every time I drive under the overpass, I'll think veterans and our freedom. We got the flagpoles accomplished by saying, 'Let's do it.'"
Brandon Squire of Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction thanked businesses on both sides of the freeway for their patience during the year-long construction phase.
"We had a tremendous response from the public about the flagpoles," Squire said. "It reflects the patriotic spirit of the community and we were proud to be a part of it."
Post Falls Mayor Ron Jacobson said the overpass was a long road to reality as a full interchange was originally bantered, then the approval, design and funding processes just took time.
"Finally," Jacobson said of his reaction to the opening. "We wanted a full interchange, but our request was not approved."
Jacobson said it took a lot of agencies and individuals coming together to make the overpass happen, including head lobbyist and former Mayor Clay Larkin.
Larkin said he drove over the overpass around 3:30 p.m. soon after it opened.
"It's nice to see it come to fruition," he said. "It's bigger than what I thought it would be, but it's very functional and built to last for a lot of years."
Larkin said he remembers Sandy Seright, who owns Ace Hardware, and Rob Elder, who owned the former Hot Rod Cafe, coming to him about the need for an overpass when he first was elected to the city council in 1996.
"It was nice that urban renewal found a way to fund it when really it should have been the federal or state government," he said. "I hope they truly realize how much the local taxpayers here saved them."
With traffic whizzing by under the overpass and an occasional motorist giving a quick honk, the structure was dedicated in grand style complete with the Post Falls High band performing and a strong contingent of other students in attendance.
Most of the crowd accessed the freeway from the north side and proceeded to the top where the flags were raised and officials spoke.
Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Warren Merritt then "cut" the ribbon by driving southbound through it as attendees followed behind to complete their walk across the overpass. Many cheered as they completed their walk across.
The structure was constructed to improve emergency response between the north and south sides of the freeway, reduce traffic congestion on Highway 41 and Idaho Street and create economic development.
"The overpass will give us a third option to respond to the other side of the city quicker," Haug said.