The large crowd that gathered last Thursday for the dedication of the new state-of-the-art Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge marveled at the design of the gently curving span, which, at an upcoming event set for the summer, will bear a new name, Lt. Col. Thomas Lynch Memorial Bridge. Lynch was a World War II war pilot from Catasauqua who died in combat in the South Pacific.

As the 11 a.m. ceremony began, the gray-clouded skies turned blue, and the wind subsided. The bridge and approach where the event took place were splashed in sunlight. The much-welcomed change in weather was noted by the speakers, who agreed it was more than appropriate since the greatly anticipated construction plan was in its third year.

Rick Molchany, Lehigh County director of general services, who coordinated the project with HRI Construction Company, expressed his relief the bridge is finally open.

“It’s long overdue,” he said. “The sacrifices - and I mean sacrifices - that all of us had to endure while the project was being completed were all worth the wait.”

Molchany said the replacement bridge, commonly known as the Hokey-North Catty Bridge, cost $22 million, taking into account engineering and other expenses. The actual construction cost was $17 million, up from the projected $12 million cost.

Matters such as limestone and migratory fish were the cause of some delays. Steel pilings anchored into the bedrock, winter storms, hail in June and bureaucratic dealings for permits all delayed workers as well.

The ceremony took place on the Hokendauqua side of the bridge, near Darktown. Whitehall Township Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. told the attendees the Water Street ramp to Darktown will not open to traffic for several weeks.

Referring to the span as “The Bridge of Patience,” Hozza said there is irony with the Water Street ramp leading to Darktown. The area remains dark, as street lights and poles have yet to be erected. It is a reminder of when township villages had street lighting installed in the 1800s. Families on Water Street, however, were not so lucky until after this date; thus, the area was dubbed Darktown.

North Catasauqua Mayor William Molchany Jr. said it was fitting to name the bridge after Lynch, a hometown hero.

In an emotional address, he spoke of Lynch, one of the country’s World War II heroes. The 26-year-old pilot shot down 20 enemy planes in the war. He died in 1944 when his P-38 small lightning propeller plane exploded after being shot at by Japanese ships.

As the maroon and gold ribbon was held across the black macadam apron, Daniel Lynch, 90, brother to Thomas, cut the ceremonial ribbon to a chorus of cheers.

A formal ceremony and plaque installation for the bridge’s new name are expected to take place in the summer.

Hokendauqua American Legion Honor Guard was present for the Pledge of Allegiance. The fleet of Whitehall fire trucks led by Fire Chief Robert Benner crossed the bridges.

Mayors Hozza and Molchany officially were the first persons to ride across the bridge, which spans the Lehigh River, in a 1955 blue and white Chevrolet BelAir driven by Don Szerensits. Eric Eberhardt, vice president of Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce, also drove a vintage vehicle across the bridge.

Representatives from the offices of U.S. Sens. Robert P. Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey and state Reps. Julie Harhart, R-183rd, and Dan McNeill, D-133rd, also were part of the program.

And traveling from the North Pole to attend the occasion was Santa, saying he didn’t bring any lumps of coal with him, but rather good wishes for happy motoring.