Anyone willing to brave below freezing temperatures can walk, run or cycle on the $229.5 million Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge Saturday, Feb. 8 from noon to 4 p.m.

Missouri North side of the New Mississippi River Bridge project / Photo by Marcus Qwertyus

Stan the Span, set to be the third-longest bridge in the United States, will open to vehicles around noon Sunday, Feb. 9, but a full day of pedestrian traffic is planned for Saturday to introduce the public to the 1,500-foot, cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River between the Metro East and St. Louis. The forecast high for Saturday is 28 degrees.

Saturday events include a leisure bike ride, 6k run, 6-mile bicycle time trial, ribbon cutting ceremony, and a ceremonial first crossing. The bridge will open at noon for those who want to walk or ride across without participating in a formal event.

Canned goods and non-perishable items will be collected on both sides of the bridge. The food drive will support Operation Food Search.

Trailnet is sponsoring leisure bike rides beginning at 7:30 Saturday. There will be a 7-mile and 32-mile route. Pre-registration is accepted until noon Friday, Feb. 7. Same day registration is from 7-7:30 a.m. Registration and additional details are available at http://trailnet.org/new-mississippi-bridge-ride.

The 6k run begins at 8 a.m. Late registration is open until Friday for $35. Race day registration will cost $40. Registration and additional details are available at http://bigriverrunning.com/bridgerun/index.php.

A 6-mile individual cycling time trial will begin at 10 a.m. Registration is available until 7 p.m., Friday for $35. Registration and additional details are available at http://bigshark.com/articles/2014-the-mississippi-bridge-time-trial-and-biathlon-2-8-14-pg934.htm.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. and the ceremonial first crossing at 3 p.m. The bridge will close to pedestrian traffic at 4 p.m.

In Illinois, the general public will be parking in the old Stockyard area. To get there:

From westbound I-64

 Take exit 4A (Baugh Avenue)

 Continue on Baugh Avenue (approximately 0.6 mile) to 9th Street (2nd roundabout)

 Go right onto 9th Street

 Continue on 9th Street to Exchange Avenue (all-way stop)

 Turn left onto Exchange Avenue

 Continue on Exchange Avenue approximately 0.8 miles

 Note the sign directing you to public parking

From westbound I-55/70

 Take exit 3C (Exchange Avenue)

 Turn right onto Exchange Avenue at the stop sign

 Continue on Exchange Avenue approximately 0.6 mile

 Note the sign directing you to public parking

The Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge was one of 37 projects in the $695 million New Mississippi River Bridge project which began in February 2010. The bridge will open with two lanes in each direction, but is wide enough to be restriped to three lanes in each direction.