This summer pedestrians will get their own bridge over the North Platte River on Casper's west side, thanks to BP.

The bridge, constructed in November, connects Mills to the Platte River Commons, the area where the old Amoco Refinery was located, said Joe Deschamp, BP's Environmental Business Manager in Casper.

However, the 400-foot bridge will not be open to the public until construction work on some pathways on the Platte River Commons and on King Boulevard, the main road running through the area, is completed in the spring, Deschamp said.

The Platte River Parkway will be connected with the Platte River Commons by the bridge and by a path running through eastern Mills, Deschamp said.

Instead of just building a new bridge from scratch, BP utilized the support structure of the old railroad bridge that spanned the Platte several hundred yards west of the old Yellowstone Highway Bridge, Deschamp said.

Construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting the parkway with the commons was part of BP's remediation agreement with the city of Casper and Natrona County.

Originally, BP had planned to use the structure of the old Yellowstone Highway bridge for the new bridge, Deschamp said. But that automobile span was too dilapidated, and it had to be demolished.

When the new bridge opens it will be lighted, as will the pedestrian paths running through the Platte River Commons, Deschamp said.

The bridge cost BP around $300,000 and was made by Roscoe Steel and Culvert of Wyoming.