Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, often known just as the 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
. The International Bridge began construction in 1960 and officially opened to traffic on October 31, 1962. 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 connects to a city 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.
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 Canada.
, 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.
, broadcasts at 530 AM from the Ontario side of the bridge.
St. Marys River (Michigan-Ontario)
The St. Marys River , sometimes written as the St. Mary's River, drains Lake Superior, starting at the end of Whitefish Bay and flowing 74.5 miles southeast into Lake Huron, with a fall of ....
between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
. It serves as the northern terminus of Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
. The International Bridge began construction in 1960 and officially opened to traffic on October 31, 1962. 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
Truss arch bridge
A truss arch bridge combines the elements of the truss bridge and the arch bridge. The actual resolution of forces will depend upon the design. If no horizontal thrusting forces are generated this becomes an arch-shaped truss, essentially a bent beam — see moon bridge for an example...
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
Soo Locks
The Soo Locks are a set of parallel locks which enable ships to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. They are located on the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, between the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario...
. The single arch spans the single Canadian Lock
Sault Ste. Marie Canal
The Sault Ste. Marie Canal is a National Historic Site of Canada in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The canal is part of the shipping route from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Superior and includes a set of locks to bypass the rapids on the St. Marys River....
. In Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the bridge connects to a city 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.
Beginning in 1987, an annual International Bridge Walk
International Bridge Walk
International Bridge Walk is an annual event held on the last Saturday in June where participants can walk from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, via the International Bridge...
has been held on the last Saturday in June, starting on the Michigan side, with participants finishing in Canada.
Expansion
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 ProvenzanoCarmen Provenzano
Carmen Provenzano was a Canadian politician. He represented the Sault Ste. Marie electoral district in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, 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
Canada Border Services Agency
The Canada Border Services Agency is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border enforcement, immigration enforcement and customs services....
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.
Services
A tourist information radio station, CIRSCIRS (AM)
CIRS was a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 530 AM in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Owned and operated by Rogers Radio, the station broadcast a tourist information format for travellers crossing the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge....
, broadcasts at 530 AM from the Ontario side of the bridge.