A scenic crossing over the Raccoon River in West Des Moines that connects recreational attractions on both sides of the river is now open.
The city and representatives from Athene, a retirement savings company headquartered in West Des Moines, celebrated the opening of the Athene Pedestrian Bridge with a ribbon cutting on Thursday afternoon. The 620-foot-long truss bridge allows cyclists and pedestrians to travel across the Raccoon River between Raccoon River Park and Walnut Woods State Park.
It's the only dedicated pedestrian and bicycle crossing over the Raccoon River in West Des Moines. And it opens up the possibility for even more connections to the trail network, Ryan Penning, director of West Des Moines Parks and Recreation, said in a city news release.