Locals Arrive for Colfax Bridge Opening Thursday Morning

UPDATE 7:30 a.m: A small crowd began to gather for the opening of the bridge, including a North Hollywood resident hoping to be the first across the bridge in his 1915 Model-T Ford.

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The Colfax Bridge will finally open on Thursday after two years of construction delays, according to Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian's office.

The councilman, along with L.A. City Engineer Gary Lee Moore and Studio City Neighborhood Council President John Walker, will be at the 8 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony at the north side of the bridge, announcing the opening of the bridge to traffic.

"I know how frustrating this process has been for businesses, drivers and residents; as one who drives near the bridge each day, it was frustrating for me as well," Krekorian said in his office's newsletter to its constituents.

"For that, please accept my gratitude for your patience and know that this project will help Studio City for years to come."

The opening of the bridge should be a relief to local business owners and residents, who have repeatedly complained to the city about a lack of transparency over the project.

According to , some business owners reported a significant drop-off in customers after Colfax Avenue had closed. They let Krekorian hear their gripes at a meeting of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce back in December 2010.

In the newsletter, Krekorian said bridge construction was part of a citywide project to improve older and "structurally deficient" bridges.

He said $307 million had been set aside for the bridge-improvement project.

Keep checking back with us as we update this story throughout the day.