Champlain Bridge (Ottawa)
| Champlain Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Champlain Bridge over the Ottawa River |
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| Official name | Champlain Bridge (Pont Champlain) |
| Carries | vehicular traffic |
| Crosses | Ottawa River |
| Locale | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Maintained by | National Capital Commission |
| Design | concrete girder bridge |
| Total length | 1.1 km (0.68 mi) |
| Width | 3 lanes |
| Vertical clearance | 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) |
| Clearance below | 3 metres (9.8 ft) |
| Construction end | 1928 |
| Opened | 1924, 1928 |
| Coordinates | 45°24′35″N 75°45′34″W / 45.40972°N 75.75944°WCoordinates: 45°24′35″N 75°45′34″W / 45.40972°N 75.75944°W |
The Champlain Bridge (Pont Champlain) crosses the Ottawa River about 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Parliament Hill, joining the communities of Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. It is the westernmost link between the two cities.
It was originally built between 1924 and 1928 by the Federal District Commission, the predecessor to the National Capital Commission, which maintains this bridge. The bridge consists of 4 spans and crosses Riopelle, Cunningham and Bate Islands in the Ottawa River. The total length of the bridge is 1.1 km (0.68 mi), making it the longest bridge spanning the Ottawa River.
On the Ontario side, it is a continuation of Island Park Drive and is also connected to the Ottawa River Parkway. On the Quebec side, it connects to the old alignment of Route 148 towards the community of Aylmer, where it abruptly ends.
A third commuter lane was added when the bridge was rebuilt in 2002, which is a reversible lane in the direction of peak traffic.
The bridge was named after Samuel de Champlain who is associated with the portage around the rapids in this section of the river. The short access roadway on the Aylmer side of the bridge is called Place Samuel de Champlain.
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