The largest capital improvement project in the history of Kent, the $10 million South-Central bridge project that relocated S.R. 59, welcomed its first traffic in November 1975. This Nov. 7, 1975 aerial view of the 762-foot bridge spanning the Cuyahoga River and two sets of railroad tracks in the downtown area was taken by Record-Courier photographer Richard Sweet one week before its dedication. The span was designated as Redmond Greer Memorial Bridge in memory of the mayor of Kent who became a driving force for the project after he became mayor in 1960. Among the structures visible in the photo are the landmark now known as the Silk Mill, the oldest existing structure in the downtown area, and the spillway of the Kent Dam, which has since been modified. The highway bypass runs from Longmere Drive on the city’s west side to Willow Street on the east end near the Kent State University campus. In addition to the downtown bridge, the bypass also includes a smaller bridge at the western end, spanning railroad tracks in the Stow Street area. Ground was broken for the bridge project on Nov. 9, 1973 and the span was opened to traffic on Nov. 13, 1975.