Susan Munsen lives about two minutes from her job at Lincoln Action Program.

But since the Harris Overpass closed for construction almost a year ago, it has taken her about 20 minutes to get to the office just west of the overpass.

On Friday, Munsen and two of her coworkers were thrilled with the reopening of the West O Street overpass — about a month ahead of schedule.

Their jobs require home visits around Lincoln, Chrissy Hauschel said Thursday, and that’s taken more time since the bridge closed.

 “Going mostly to the other side of the bridge multiple times a day … each round trip adds about six miles.

“So that’s probably a couple of hours each week, just drive time.”

The closure also made it more difficult for low-income clients to get to the Lincoln Action Program office, said Anna Marie Steffenson.

But the wait is over.

Traffic began moving in all four lanes of the Harris Overpass — which carries traffic over rail yards and the historic Haymarket District — after a drive-through ribbon-cutting Friday.

“This past year has not been easy for businesses and residents, but it was a project that had to be done,” said Mayor Chris Beutler. “The Harris Overpass is an important link in our city, and we now have a safe bridge that will serve our needs far into the future.”

The original bridge built in 1954 was rated structurally deficient in 2007, making it eligible for federal funds that will cover nearly 80 percent of the $18 million construction cost.

Linda Beacham of Schemmer Associates, project manager of the design team, said one of the most important components of the project was the public participation process, which included feedback from residents and businesses.

“This is the city’s bridge,” Beacham said. “The bridge looks the way the city told us they wanted it to look.”

West O’s wholesale, retail, convenience and commercial businesses did well under the circumstances of the last year, said Randy Haas, a partner in T.O. Haas Tire Co. and president of the West O Area Business Association.

But those west of Sun Valley Boulevard did better than those in the few blocks between where that big street joins West O and the overpass to the east, he said.

During the 11 months the overpass was closed, Haas said his business was about even with the previous 11 months.

“We were figuring on a pretty significant drop-off, but we just didn’t have it,” he said.

They did much better than during West O median installation during the 1990s, which Haas described as “really brutal.”

Jaime Camacho, a sales rep at B&C Auto, knew things would be slow when the business opened there while the overpass was down.

“Business was slow for the first two months,” he said. “After that, it’s picked up. … Even with the bridge closed, cars are selling in the last month.”

“I can’t wait,” he said of how things might go now. “I think it’s a great location.”

The city plans to use city and state money, including $20,000 from the West O business group, for streetscape improvements between Sun Valley and the overpass.

Haas and Ernesto Castillo of the city’s Urban Development Department said design work will begin soon, with work beginning next fall.

Plans call for purchase of a lot at the northwest end of the overpass for an interpretive plaza commemorating the old Detroit-Lincoln-Denver Highway, Haas said.

It could be something like an old-time gas station and park, he said.

The property has not yet been acquired, Castillo said.

Given the area’s blight designation, Haas said, tax-increment financing is possible.

“With the potential of the West Haymarket, too, all these things could work together to make that area a whole lot better,” Haas said.

Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com. Reach Richard Piersol at 473-7241 or rpiersol@journalstar.com.