Meditations on a Bridge

The Miriam-Webster dictionary defines the word bridge as "a structure carrying a pathway or roadway over a depression or obstacle; a time, place, or means of connection or transition".

Do you remember when they built the Bong Bridge?  I think the whole city could hear the ka-thunks of the pilings being driven into the riverbed. That was 1984, so I guess it is time for a little maintenance. On Monday two lanes of the bridge were closed, and in May both Westbound lanes will close. This will be a huge inconvenience for lots of people, but we want to keep our bridges safe. The closure of the Bong has me pondering bridges, and how important they are to us here in the Twin Ports. Most of us cross at least one bridge (or viaduct) on our daily commutes.

Bong Bridge, High Bridge (officially named the Blatnik Bridge, but who really calls it that?), Oliver Bridge, Nemadji Bridge.  The Aerial Lift Bridge is iconic in the Twin Ports although it belongs to Duluth. Before the Bong there was the old wooden Arrowhead Bridge.  If you were going to go to Shoppers' City in West Duluth you probably crossed the Arrowhead.  I had nightmares about it-you could feel it shaking as you went over, and if it was opened up for a boat to go through it was worse. I couldn't wait to get off it! The old Oliver Bridge was just as bad.   Before the High Bridge there was the Interstate Bridge. It was a toll bridge, and so deterred many people from traveling between our lovely cities of Duluth and Superior.

Psychologically, bridges represent different things to different people.  Bridges can be seen as an obstacle to be crossed or as a way to join two disparate things or ideas. Bridge dreams are common (see above). There are lots of songs about bridges. Simon&Garfunkel had two bridge songs-Bridge Over Troubled Water and The 59th Street Bridge Song.  Tons of movies-Bridge on the River Kwai; Bridges of Madison County; Bridge to Terabithia; A Bridge Too Far; The Bridge of San Luis Rey; Bridge at Remagen; Waterloo Bridge.  (All of which are available at your Library). And books? Too many to even name.  Most of the movies named above are based on books.  Search 'bridge' in the title field of the library catalog (http://merlin.nwls.lib.wi.us/search/?searchtype=t&SORT=D&searcharg=bridge&searchscope=28) if you want to see more. Maybe you are interested in how those bridges get built?  We have that too. Check out the display with bridge-themed items on the back counter.

Anyway, we can all put up with a little inconvenience for now.  What we'll do in May when we can't take the Bong to Duluth? We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Take a close look at the written description in red