The bridge is open. Those words – posted online Oct. 1 – likely came as a relief to residents and travelers on Carter Road in Bothell.

It meant an end to almost four months of detours and construction noise as Snohomish County Public Works officially opened a brand-new bridge over Swamp Creek, connecting the community with Forsgren County Park, Lockwood Elementary School and Kenmore Junior High School.

Now, local elected officials and the community are invited to officially celebrate the bridge reopening with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Lockwood Elementary. The road will briefly close during the ribbon-cutting ceremony; drivers in the area should be alert for pedestrians heading to or from the bridge.

“This bridge is extremely important to the local community and nearby schools,” said Snohomish County Executive John Lovick. “We know construction was inconvenient this summer and we appreciate everyone’s patience. This new bridge gives local kids a safer way to walk to school and gives residents a more reliable commute.”

The original timber-and-concrete Swamp Creek bridge opened in 1966 with two 10-foot lanes, no shoulders, and one small sidewalk. As the neighborhood grew and traffic increased, the old bridge couldn’t effectively meet the needs of the public. The new bridge has 11.5-foot lanes, shoulders and wider sidewalks on both sides. It’s designed to better withstand high water in Swamp Creek, allow for wildlife passage beneath the bridge, and should last for nearly 75 years.

For more information about the Swamp Creek bridge project, including photos of construction, or for information about the ribbon-cutting, visit www.snoco.org and search “Bridge 546,” or contact Tina Hokanson at 425-388-3789or tina.hokanson@snoco.org.