The sounding of a towboat's whistle Friday afternoon in St. Paul was the signal of the ceremonial opening of barge traffic on this stretch of the Mississippi River.
Local river operations have begun, and out-of-state barge traffic is expected to begin in mid-April.
On hand for the event at Lambert's Landing on the Mississippi : Acting State Transportation Commissioner Bob McFarlin, and officials from the city of St. Paul, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the St. Paul Port Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and others.
Officials were sounding the whistle on the towboat M/V Itasca at 2 p.m. The Itasca was also making a short trip in the St. Paul harbor.
PAUL WALSH
