Audio By Carbonatix
A seven-part download this weekend by Danielle McClelland, in the Dallas City Hall Public Information Office, allows those who missed out on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge’s groundbreaking ceremony to have a look-see at the event, which took place on December 9, 2005. It’s been mostly downhill for the project since then, highlighted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approving the bridge without all of the geotechnical data.
Instead of gathering the information before giving the green light, the corps opted to have its people on site as construction was performed. This led to the unearthing of sand during the bungled installation of a pier for the bridge.
Nearly every politico in the city braved the freezing temperatures (12 degrees was the low for the day) on the Continental Street bridge, reminding us how many people are behind this sucker. Then-Mayor Laura Miller referred to the bridge as “our Eiffel Tower” before speeches from Kay Bailey Hutchison, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Pete Sessions, Royce West and others.
West joked that he would start selling hot chocolate to jumpstart economic development, which led to this comment from Dan Branch when he took over the mic: “I guess that makes me the marshmallow, senator.”
However, the best line of the night belonged to Miller, who introduced Margaret Keliher and Lee Jackson as “two people who will tag team you at the podiums for a little something different.”
intro
Laura Miller and Santiago Calatrava
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Eddie Bernice Johnson and Pete Sessions
Royce West, Terri Hodge and Dan Branch
Margaret Keliher, Lee Jackson and Ken Mayfield
Ed Oakley, Pauline Medrano, Steve Salazar and Ron Kirk
fireworks
