Photo courtesy of Crystal Johnson Members of longtime Granite Falls Mayor Dave Smiglewski’s family, including his wife Cindy, and children Laurel, Cody and Seth, were photographed this weekend with one of the new signs dedicating the Mayor Dave Smiglewski Memorial Bridge. Behind them in the photo is the bridge, which crosses the Minnesota River on U.S. Highway 212.

GRANITE FALLS — There were a lot of ways that the city of Granite Falls could remember longtime mayor Dave Smiglewski. But the choice to name a bridge after him was maybe the most fitting, said state Sen. Gary Dahms.

“Bridges are designed to get people to places they wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. It reminds me a lot about the way Dave operated,” said Dahms, R-Redwood Falls. Smiglewski was focused on reaching across the aisle and advocating for area communities, he said.

Smiglewski died in 2023 at the age of 70. He served as mayor of Granite Falls for 27 years, and as a city council member for 16 years prior to becoming mayor.

On Saturday, Granite Falls officials, community members and Smiglewski family members gathered to unveil signs dedicating the Mayor Dave Smiglewski Memorial Bridge. The naming of the bridge, on U.S. Highway 212 in Granite Falls, was approved by the Minnesota Legislature in 2024.

“It was really good to see that this got done,” Dahms said.

“It’s truly deserved, for his years of service,” said Granite Falls City Manager Crystal Johnson. “A lot of people felt he was truly deserving.”

Dahms introduced the bill to name the Highway 212 bridge in memory of Smiglewski in the state Senate. Rep. Chris Swedzinski brought it forward in the House.

Officials at Saturday’s ceremony included Dahms and Granite Falls Mayor Steve Nordaune. A letter from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was also read at the ceremony, Johnson said.

“To dedicate a bridge after (Dave) was very fitting,” Johnson said. In addition to being part of city government, Smiglewski was also active in groups like the Highway 23 Coalition and the Highway 212 Coalition, advocating for transportation improvements in southwest Minnesota.

A crowd of about 50 people gathered at a scenic overlook near the Highway 212 bridge for the unveiling of the new signs, Johnson said. The signs were then put in place near the bridge this week, she said.

It was good to see community members gathered to honor Smiglewski over the weekend, Dahms said. The turnout reflected on the kind of person Smiglewski was, he said.

“I’m sure he’ll have an impact on the community for a long time,” he said.