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Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge

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Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge
Aerial picture of the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge and the Soo Locks
Coordinates46°30′25″N 84°21′41″W / 46.507°N 84.3613°W / 46.507; -84.3613
CarriesTwo lanes of traffic ( I-75 / LSCT / LHCT)
CrossesSt. Marys River
LocaleSault Ste. Marie, Michigan-Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Characteristics
Designtruss arch bridge
Total length2.8 miles (4.5 km)
Width28 feet (8.5 m)
Longest span132 m
Clearance below124 feet (38 m)
History
Opened1962
Statistics
Daily traffic7,000 vehicles daily (average), 10,000 vehicles daily (peak)
TollUS$3.50, CAD$3.70,[1]
Location
Map
The International Bridge, looking east, with the railroad bridge in front

The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It serves as the northern terminus of Interstate 75 (I-75). The International Bridge began construction in 1960 and officially opened to traffic on October 31, 1962.[2] Daily operation is carried on by the International Bridge Administration (IBA) under the supervision of the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority (SSMBA). The SSMBA replaced the previous Joint International Bridge Authority (JIBA) in 2009, which in turn had succeeded the International Bridge Authority (IBA, created in 1935) in 2000.

This is a steel truss arch bridge with suspended deck. There are two separate spans, a double arch span on the U.S. side and a single arch span on the Canadian side. The double arch spans cross the four U.S. Soo Locks. The single arch spans the single Canadian Lock. In Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the bridge ends at a city street, Huron Street, in the downtown core. The total length of the bridge approaches 2.8 miles (4.5 km). The Bridge Authority allows bicycles to cross; however, there are no dedicated bike lanes. Cyclists must take proper precautions to ensure visibility.

The International Bridge Bus crosses the Bridge [1]. The state of Michigan and the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie provide the majority of the funding, along with Lake Superior State University and Sault College.[2]. The route travels hourly from 7:00 am - 6:00 pm on weekdays and 9:00 am - 4:00 pm on Saturdays. In addition to serving both downtown areas, the buses serve LSSU on the Michigan side and the Station Mall on the Canadian side.


A tourist information radio station, CIRS, broadcast at 530 AM from the Ontario side of the bridge until 2010.

History

Sault Ste Marie International Bridge

In 1954 the state of Michigan created the International Bridge Authority. [3] Canada followed in 1955, creating the St.Mary's River Co. [3]

Beginning in 1987, an annual International Bridge Walk has been held on the last Saturday in June, starting on the Michigan side, with participants finishing in Ontario.

On June 6, 2005, the Ontario government announced a construction project to build a dedicated truck bypass route to connect the bridge to Highway 17 in the north end of the city. The city had lobbied for this for some time, since the bridge's terminus at a city street was viewed by many residents of the city as a safety concern; however, the bridge terminus itself cannot be easily relocated due to the already highly urbanized nature of the Sault, Ontario waterfront. The truck route, known as Carmen's Way in memory of the city's former federal MP Carmen Provenzano, was officially opened in September 2006.

Construction work subsequently commenced in 2009 on a project to expand and modernize the Canadian bridge plaza, including a larger Canada Border Services Agency building with improved truck inspection facilities and a dedicated route to take trucks directly to Carmen's Way, thereby eliminating the need for trucking traffic to enter Huron Street.[4]

Beginning in May 2014, construction work commenced on improvements to the plaza on the Michigan side of the bridge.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Information Bulletin" (PDF). State of Michigan. April 1, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  2. ^ Staff (September 12, 2008). "Bridge Facts & Trivia". Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Staff (1963). The International Bridge. S.I.: International Bridge Authority of Michigan.[full citation needed]
  4. ^ Ross, Ian (September 4, 2009). "Expansion of Sault bridge plaza begins this fall". Northern Ontario Business. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  5. ^ "Michigan Soo breaks ground on toll plaza". Northern Ontario Business, May 16, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge.
  • Looking west towards the International Bridge from the American Locks administration building
    Looking west towards the International Bridge from the American Locks administration building
  • International Bridge, from south Whitefish Island
    International Bridge, from south Whitefish Island
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