Unalaska, AK – Vehicles began using the new Bridge to the Other Side today. Department of Transportation project engineer Sean Combs says the unofficial opening puts the bridge to use as a detour route while the construction crew finishes up the paving.

"Our pavement markers and our asphalt are temperature sensitive so we'll have to switch traffic back and forth just to make sure that we have a finished project that's going to last," he says.

Combs says the construction team needs to finish last minute detailing and clean up before the bridge's official opening in late August or early September. The new bridge, which is rated to withstand high seismic activity, should have a life of around 80 years and should not need repaving for five to 10 years. The team is currently about nine months ahead of schedule. They will begin removing the old bridge next month.

"We'll start removing the old bridge break it down to the skeleton sized bridge, take the wood off and the railings off," Combs said. "Then a crew from Kodiak will come in with barges and cranes and actually start dismantling the subsurface and all of the steel work."

The metal will be sent to Seattle for recycling and the wood will become property of West Construction, which can sell it or transport it off the island. The old bridge needed to be removed because it is not considered safe and because it's partially covered in lead paint. If it remained in place, the City would have to assume all liability for it.

Combs estimates the full project will be finished in three to four weeks.