The long-awaited Grace Church Street Bridge project is finally complete.

Portchester resident Bernadette Beltran says she’s looking forward to a smoother commute.

"Sometimes the stoplights take so long. Now I don't have to go all the way around,” says Beltran.

Commuter Raul Varas believes it’s about time that the bridge is complete, saying in part, “The only thing is, it takes so long to do something around here. This was six months, maybe a year already, but you can see the project every time."

The $11 million bridge is associated with a multimillion-dollar project known as the Last Mile. It links Port Chester to Rye and promises to improve drivers' safety.

Thruway Authority director Matthew Driscoll says the bridge will improve the quality of the environment.

"It’s going to make it much more efficient on an environmental basis. It will be better because we'll see less slowdowns, less idling, less traffic jams,” says Driscoll. “All of this will mean a better and safer Thruway for the next hundred years."

The first car made its way across the bridge replacement just after 11:30 a.m.

News 12 is told the Last Mile project work will continue in other areas of I-95. Safety upgrades such as new guardrails and pedestrian fencing are being added.