Everyone's asking: Will Mr. Peanut return?

YOUNGSTOWN — After a renovation in the late 1980s, the Spring Common Bridge to downtownearned a new character — and a new nickname.

Since then, the link from Mahoning Avenue to downtown Youngstown has been warmly known as the Mr. Peanut Bridge. A steely Planter's icon perched high on the bridge greeted travelers at the Oak Hill Avenue entrance.

The bridge has a history of its own, replacing the first Spring Common Bridge built before 1900. The current crossing, which cost $2 million in 1950, has undergone a $5.4 million rehabilitation that included new handrails, new concrete pavement and a new paint job.

The once pistachio-colored bridge has given way to a fire-truck-red hue. Its modern look now mirrors the revitalization efforts seen downtown.

And although the work is nearing completion, longtime observers know that it is not done. The one question being repeated to the county engineer’s office, construction workers on the bridge, and on blogs: Where is Mr. Peanut?

For the full story, see Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.