What was once a mere dream about 20 years ago was finally realized Wednesday afternoon. The 2.7 mile Southwestern Suffolk Bypass, which will link U.S. routes 58 and13, was officially opened. Granted, it might have cost a bit less ($40 million is the total, $5 million more than planned) and been completed a bit sooner (six months ago), but some uncontrollable factors entered into the picture: weather and vandalism. Nonetheless, as Joseph Lomax, VDOT project engineer, pointed out, the road is expected to alleviate tractor-trailer traffic on Turlington Road, making the community safer for motorists and residents alike.

Interestingly, one of the bridges has been named in honor of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At the ceremony, Suffolk’s Rev. Dr. Mark Croston said that Dr. King &uot;…didn’t build bridges of concrete and asphalt. Instead, King’s bridges carried people from poverty to prosperity, segregation to integration, ignorance to knowledge. We are all the benefactor of bridges built by this great bridge builder.&uot;

True enough, but we should not overlook the accomplishment of those who designed and built the bypass. The work of the women and men involved is invaluable.