Alexandria (Map, News) - kes and pedestrians, part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project, opened Tuesday as city, state and federal officials watched a group of cyclists pedal across the deck in celebration.

The four-lane deck connects Washington Street with the George Washington Parkway south of Interstate 495. It allows cyclists, walkers, bus riders and cars to safely cross the Beltway, Wilson Bridge Project spokesman John Undeland said.

The new span connects several existing bike paths, including the Mount Vernon trail in both directions and a trail to Jones Point Park.

It will also link two paths due to open next year, one that will follow Route 1 into Fairfax County and another that will cross the second new Wilson Bridge into Maryland.

Instead of the former narrow sidewalks, new 12-foot brick sidewalks will stretch across the Beltway, Undeland said. Cutout spaces allow buses to pull in from the street, increasing safety for riders, he said.

The project is part of a settlement the city reached with state and federal transportation departments in 1998. The city had sued over the plan to widen the Wilson Bridge to 12 lanes. The $2.4 billion bridge project is 75 percent complete, according to a statement.