Crews officially opened a new bridge Thursday on U.S. 31 in Marshall County, honoring 13-year-old Owen Abbott, who died in a 2018 school bus crash at a rail crossing.

The Owen Abbott Memorial Bridge removes the need for vehicles to stop where the crash happened.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Ted Bohner said the previous setup forced certain vehicles to stop at the tracks, contributing to the tragedy.

Construction started in April 2023 between 13th and 14th Roads.

Crews opened the northbound lanes last May and finished the southbound lanes this week.