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Bay of St. Louis Bridge  

Today's the big day for a certain bridge

By RYAN LaFONTAINE
rlafontaine@sunherald.com

BAY ST. LOUIS --

There is a buzz in this town like never before. Throughout Old Town or around Cedar Point today, there is a sense that something historic is about to happen.

The state Department of Transportation is putting the final touches on the long-awaited Bay St. Louis Bridge. Workers have plugged in a giant screen near the foot of the bridge, which will show the ceremonies and speeches from the top of the span in real time to the crowd of locals expected to gather near Beach Boulevard.

Business owners and county workers spent the morning preparing the grounds of the Bay-Waveland Yacht Club for today's Bridge Fest, a huge celebration set to begin at 4 p.m.

Just down the beach in Old Town, the enthusiasm was curbed this morning as merchants opened their shops. It seems this section of town is holding its breath, hoping rows of shoppers with deep pockets are on the other side of the bay waiting to stampede into the food-and-arts district.

"I hope people aren't making too much of this," said Donna Holt, whose mother owns Jack's Restaurant, a popular Waveland eatery that recently moved to the Bay. "I don't think there's a huge wave of people on the other side waiting to cross into Old Town."

Karen Price, co-owner of Bohemia, a funky novelty and clothing store on the first block of Main Street, spent the morning preparing her business for what she hopes will be the start of something profitable.

"Business has been very slow down here," she said. "We can't survive just from Second Saturday to Second Saturday."

Bohemia and other downtown shops have done well on the second Saturdays of each month, when the district holds its famed block parties, but Price is hoping the bridge brings weekday foot traffic back to Old Town the way it was before Aug. 29, 2005.

"I wish they would just open the bridge now," she said. "All of us have been waiting for this for so long, I wish they would have opened it at 6 a.m.; I'm ready."

There's a nervous feeling of anticipation among the towns folk who understand the significance of this day. Locals are anxious to see what awaits them on the other side of the bridge - they'll find out in a just a few of hours.

Today's ceremonies

Here is the schedule of events today for the dedication of the Bay St. Louis bridge:

2 p.m.

• Welcome and recognition of distinguished guests by MDOT Executive Director Larry L. "Butch" Brown

• Presentation of colors by MDOT Law Enforcement Honor Guard

• Pledge of Allegiance by Harry Lee James, chief engineer/deputy executive director, MDOT