You91裸聊视频檇 think it was a rock concert.

Around noon, over 500 people anxiously waited for the Johnson Street Bridge in Victoria to officially open.

Members of the crowd had to be reminded to stand back, as they weaved around each other, straining their necks to capture a glimpse of the new bridge.

Construction on the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by the city began in May 2013.

The new bridge will support 30,000 crossings a day including vehicles, local transit, pedestrians, and cyclists.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been waiting ten years for this, so another ten minutes won91裸聊视频檛 kill us,91裸聊视频� said Amanda Shultz, who waited patiently among the crowd.

Food trucks, coffee stands, musicians and vintage cars lined the streets to entertain the revelers as they waited.

91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 fantastic, a long time coming,91裸聊视频� said Harold Sleunwhite who has lived in Victoria for 36 years.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 come downtown often but when I do it91裸聊视频檚 always this route. It will definitely help rush hour traffic.91裸聊视频�

Sleunwhite offered a unique suggestion for what to do with the old Blue Bridge91裸聊视频攅ven though it has new, offshore owners. He said, 91裸聊视频淚f they were to cut some pieces out of it and give it to a sculpture to make something decent, it would stand as a memory for a lifetime.91裸聊视频�

Mayor Lisa Helps officiated the opening and thanked the long list of people involved91裸聊视频攆rom the project manager to the builders.

Mayor Helps specifically thanked the Songhees nation elders who blessed the bridge, adding, 91裸聊视频淚 wonder and worry about all the other bridges that haven91裸聊视频檛 been blessed.91裸聊视频�

People cheered and clapped during the 90 seconds it took for the bridge to be lowered. Then, as a community, the crowd walked over the bridge, taking photos and marveling at the structure.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 100 years looking into the future and it91裸聊视频檚 a really exciting day. This marks not only the completion of the bridge but Victoria91裸聊视频檚 future,91裸聊视频� Mayor Helps told Victoria News.

91裸聊视频淭his bridge project got off to a bit of a rocky start and we brought it back under control. What we see now is a different way of doing current projects 91裸聊视频� like the fire hall and Crystal Pool91裸聊视频� So it91裸聊视频檚 a lesson learned and going forward we91裸聊视频檙e taking a different approach to those projects which I think will fare very well.91裸聊视频�

Jeremy Loveday was excited to see this project finally come to fruition. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a new chapter in the City91裸聊视频檚 future. Say goodbye to the old Blue Bridge and the memories it holds, and say hello to this next chapter,91裸聊视频� he told Victoria News.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 glad the local First Nations have played a role in opening this bridge and they have blessed it, and I look forward to moving forward with them in a good way.91裸聊视频�

The public seemed very pleased with the outcome of the project 91裸聊视频� over 100 million dollars and 10 years in the making.

As a group of tourists, unaware of the event91裸聊视频檚 significance, headed down the side pathway of the structure, a local man excitedly corrected them, 91裸聊视频淐91裸聊视频檓on, man, don91裸聊视频檛 you know there91裸聊视频檚 a new bridge?91裸聊视频�.

The community celebration will continue until 5 p.m. At 9 p.m. the bridge is expected to open to traffic.

Read our five-part series on the project, 91裸聊视频楤ridging the Gap91裸聊视频�, by Tim Collins starting

anna.james@vicnews.com