ST. LOUIS — You probably don’t think much about the roads you drive on to get to work or get the kids to school each day.
But there are some routes many of us just can’t imagine living without, especially if you need to get across the Mississippi River on a regular basis.
One of them is the Poplar Street Bridge, and this week's Vintage KSDK takes us back to Nov. 9, 1967 when it officially opened.
No ceremony was held to mark the completion of construction, and initially, the new bridge had no official name. That's because leaders in St. Louis and East St. Louis couldn't agree on one.
But drivers were happy with the new free bridge since the nearby Eads and Veterans bridges both charged tolls.
5 On Your Side even has aerial footage of the then-brand new span.
It was eventually named the Bernard F. Dickmann Bridge, after the 34th mayor of St. Louis who held office from 1933-1941.
Then, in October 2013, it was officially renamed the Congressman William L. Clay Sr. Bridge, after the former long-serving U.S. congressman from Missouri's 1st District.
But to this day, most drivers call it the "Poplar Street Bridge," which was the nickname the structure was given during construction.