Bridging Our State
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
March 28, 2025
We recently cut the ribbon on the new Lt. Commander John C. Waldron Bridge over the Missouri River between Pierre and Ft. Pierre. For the next 100 years, this bridge will connect two communities. But more than that, it will connect two sides of our state.
The Pierre-Ft. Pierre community is perhaps the best example of East River and West River coming together. Pierre is a quintessential East River town – Ft. Pierre is very much a West River town. This community is strongest because it has elements of both sides of the river. In the same way, South Dakota is strongest because two sides of the river come together to form one great state.
I was born and raised a West River rancher. I’ve always had a lot of love for Ft. Pierre, and West River is still home to this day. In the same breath, I’ve worked for 20 years on the East side of the river in Pierre – in the legislature, as Lt. Governor, and now as Governor.
Seven years ago, an East River farmer and rancher asked me to be her running mate. We worked very well together because we brought perspectives from both sides of this state to our leadership. When I succeeded Secretary Noem as Governor, I took a page out of her book. I asked an East River lawyer, Tony Venhuizen, to serve alongside me.
We need perspectives from all parts of this state. We need people from all walks of life working together to make this state great. And we need bridges like this one connecting us and bringing us together.
That brings us to the new bridge. This bridge is the latest in a long history of structures connecting these two communities. Since the late 1800s, there has been some kind of bridge or another connecting Pierre and Ft. Pierre. The most recent bridge was opened in 1962. In 2002, that bridge was dedicated in honor of Lt. Commander John C. Waldron of Fort Pierre.
Lt. Commander Waldron led a squadron of torpedo bombers in the Battle of Midway during WWII. They were the first to locate and attack the Japanese fleet. They went up against impossible odds – he and all 15 aircraft with him were lost. But their sacrifice paved the way for American dive bombers to devastate the Japanese fleet.
The new bridge remains dedicated to Lt. Commander Waldron. In a lot of ways, the old bridge paved the way for the new one – just as Lt. Commander Waldron paved the way for the dive bombers behind him.
We blew up the old bridge a couple weeks ago. I’m not sure if you saw the video – it was pretty awesome. You can find it on my Facebook page if you haven’t seen it. Truth be told, I had hoped to push the button to blow up the bridge myself!
As the new bridge officially opens, we look forward to the next 100 years of South Dakotans from both sides of the state crossing the river and working together. We celebrate the continued growth and development that will be possible because of this modern bridge.
I am in the middle of my Open for Opportunity tour across the state of South Dakota. On the day of the bridge ribbon cutting, I prioritized being in Pierre because of how important this bridge is. It will expand the opportunity for both the Pierre and the Ft. Pierre communities.
Strong infrastructure supports a strong economy. Our economy is strong – the strongest of any state in the nation. But we still have opportunities to grow and improve. This bridge represents just such an opportunity for growth. And it also represents an opportunity for us to continue working together to connect as South Dakotans.
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