Lake Havasu City to end closures of London Bridge for events

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Lake Havasu City officials plan to end scheduled closures of London Bridge for special events, saying they don’t want to block vehicle travel between an island and the rest of the western Arizona city along the Colorado River.

City officials cited safety reasons and residents’ concerns over closures that typically have lasted two or three hours, Today’s News-Herald reported.

Events that have required bridge closures include the annual Line Dance on the London Bridge, and Camaros on the Bridge, and infrequently, Corvettes on the Bridge.

The inaugural Line Dance on the London Bridge was held in 2011, when over 1,100 dancers showed up for the event. The final time the fundraiser will be staged atop the bridge over Bridgewater Channel is Feb. 23. The event then will need to find a new venue.

“The bridge is the only point of access on and off the Island. Residents complain because the closures cause too much commotion,” City Manager Jess Knudson said.

Knudson said city officials were grateful “for all the events that have been on the bridge in the past. But the city has decided to go a different direction now.”

Lake Havasu City founder Robert McCulloch purchased the stone bridge in the late 1960s and had it transported by ship( and truck from London in pieces.

The Associated Press