The George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge across the York River opened to traffic May 7, 1952. It was billed as the world’s largest swing-span bridge. Flying overhead to photograph the first vehicles to cross was Kenneth Arthur Grow. His photo was taken from the Gloucester Point side of the crossing. Forty-four years later his son, David Grow of Bena, was flying overhead on the Yorktown side on May 13, 1996, when traffic began crossing again after a nine-day closure. During this period, a remarkable engineering feat took place: the original, two-lane bridge swing spans were floated out, and new four-lane swing spans were floated into place and secured.

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