ASPEN — Motorists will begin crossing the new Maroon Creek bridge on the outskirts of Aspen on Tuesday, July 8.

The official grand opening will await the completion of the Highway 82 bus lanes — sometime in the fall, but traffic in both directions will be moved onto the new span on Tuesday afternoon, according to the city.

Construction of bus lanes approaching the bridge is ongoing. The upvalley bus lane between the Aspen Business Center and Buttermilk, a one-mile segment, is already finished and in use.

On Tuesday, traffic in both directions will be moved onto downvalley lanes, allowing work to continue in the upvalley direction. As part of the switch, the upvalley bus stop near Truscott will be moved across the old upvalley lanes.

In addition, sections of the Buttermilk parking lot are being regraded and paved; the work will continue through July. No parking is permitted in the north or south lots adjacent to Highway 82 and Owl Creek Road at Buttermilk and vehicles parked there will be towed.