Lewiston-Queenston Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge is an arch bridge
that crosses the Niagara River
gorge just south of the Niagara Escarpment
. The bridge was officially opened on November 1, 1962. It is an international bridge between the United States
and Canada
. It connects Interstate 190
in the town of Lewiston
, New York
to Highway 405 in the community of Queenston
, Ontario
. The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge is a replica of the Rainbow Bridge
at Niagara Falls
.
Customs plazas are located on both ends of the bridge, with tolls only being charged on entering Canada (US$3.25 or CAD$3.25 per automobile as of May 1, 2010). Also, two duty-free
stores are located between the two plazas.
The bridge permits no pedestrians, but licensed taxi service is permitted. The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge lacks expedited border clearance facilities for NEXUS and FAST
card holders traveling from Canada to the United States, but does have a NEXUS lane for travel into Canada.
The current arch bridge replaced an old suspension bridge
called the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge which was located seven-tenths of a mile north. Coincidentally, the suspension bridge was originally built near the location of the present-day Rainbow Bridge, and was moved to Queenston in 1898 by R.S. Buck and engineer L.L. Buck, after the completion of the Rainbow Bridge's predecessor, the Upper Steel Arch Bridge. The suspension bridge was dismantled in 1963. The only reminder of this bridge are two columns that lie within the Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park
. The supports are part of Owen Morrell's Omega, a steel sculpture and observation platform added in 1981. Two columns remain are found on the Canadian side at the foot of York Street in a wooded area now known as York Park.
The first Queenston-Lewiston Bridge was built in 1851 by engineer Edward Serrell and wrecked by wind in 1864 (or 1854). Some of the cables were still in place as late as 1895. The road deck span was about 841–849 ft (256–258 m). The suspension bridge design was unusual because the cables were attached to the cliff with only small towers. This made the road deck span shorter than the cable span of 1040 feet (317 m).
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
that crosses the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
gorge just south of the Niagara Escarpment
Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...
. The bridge was officially opened on November 1, 1962. It is an international bridge 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...
. It connects Interstate 190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
in the town of Lewiston
Lewiston, New York
Lewiston is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, an early 19th-century governor of New York. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Village of Lewiston,...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Highway 405 in the community of Queenston
Queenston, Ontario
Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River; its location on the Niagara Escarpment led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge is a replica of the Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge (Niagara Falls)
The Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls is an international steel arch bridge across the Niagara River gorge, and is a world-famous tourist site. It connects the cities of Niagara Falls, New York, United States , and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada .-Construction:The Rainbow Bridge was built near the...
at Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
.
Customs plazas are located on both ends of the bridge, with tolls only being charged on entering Canada (US$3.25 or CAD$3.25 per automobile as of May 1, 2010). Also, two duty-free
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
stores are located between the two plazas.
The bridge permits no pedestrians, but licensed taxi service is permitted. The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge lacks expedited border clearance facilities for NEXUS and FAST
Free and Secure Trade
The Free and Secure Trade program is a joint United States-Canadian program between the Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection. The FAST initiative offers pre-authorized importers, carriers and drivers expedited clearance for eligible goods, building on...
card holders traveling from Canada to the United States, but does have a NEXUS lane for travel into Canada.
Previous suspension bridges
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
called the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge which was located seven-tenths of a mile north. Coincidentally, the suspension bridge was originally built near the location of the present-day Rainbow Bridge, and was moved to Queenston in 1898 by R.S. Buck and engineer L.L. Buck, after the completion of the Rainbow Bridge's predecessor, the Upper Steel Arch Bridge. The suspension bridge was dismantled in 1963. The only reminder of this bridge are two columns that lie within the Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park
Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park
Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park is located in the Village of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York, named after Earl Brydges. It is generally referred to as Artpark, and was created on the site of a former industrial waste dump...
. The supports are part of Owen Morrell's Omega, a steel sculpture and observation platform added in 1981. Two columns remain are found on the Canadian side at the foot of York Street in a wooded area now known as York Park.
The first Queenston-Lewiston Bridge was built in 1851 by engineer Edward Serrell and wrecked by wind in 1864 (or 1854). Some of the cables were still in place as late as 1895. The road deck span was about 841–849 ft (256–258 m). The suspension bridge design was unusual because the cables were attached to the cliff with only small towers. This made the road deck span shorter than the cable span of 1040 feet (317 m).
External links
- Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
- Images from the Niagara Historic Digital Collections
- Lewiston Queenston Bridge Collection of Images Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)