ST. CHARLES – City officials expected Red Gate Bridge would relieve about 10 percent of traffic on Main Street, and an early count indicates its effect on the thoroughfare might be even more, city administrator Brian Townsend said.

Beginning at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 17 – the first business day the bridge was open – the city conducted a 24-hour traffic count. By the time it ended at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 18, 2,686 eastbound vehicles and 2,512 westbound vehicles had crossed the bridge for a total of use of 5,198 cars.

That count surpasses 10 percent of the traffic count for the Main Street Bridge, which was 30,281 in 2012, Townsend said.