BUILDING BRIDGES IN BAGHDAD.

Traffic might have been a little slower across the reconstructed bridge than it was before the original one was destroyed during the conflict, but it gave motorists a shorter route to the north than the one they had since the span’s destruction.

“This is the first bridge to connect Baghdad to the north of Iraq,” said Baghdassar Avedisian, an Iraqi engineer who studied at the University of Michigan years ago.

Avedisian said the bridge — which replaces a temporary structure the military erected to get its vehicles across the river — will help bring more trade from surrounding countries, such as Turkey, Iran and Syria.

“The real aspect of this bridge is that it’s going to make it easier for the people in this region to move around,” Strock said in his remarks.

It took more than 100 members of the 38th about 100 hours to take down the temporary structure and put up the two new spans. Capt. Carrington Stoffels, the company commander, said it would last “as long as they need it to last.”

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