Portage Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Portage Bridge crosses the Ottawa River
just down-river from the Chaudière Bridge, joining the communities of Gatineau
, Quebec
and Ottawa
, Ontario
, linking Laurier Street
and Alexandre-Taché Boulevard
in the Hull
sector of Gatineau and Wellington Street
at the Garden of the Provinces and Territories
in Ottawa, crossing Victoria Island on the way.
The bridge was built by the National Capital Commission
and opened in 1973. The bridge is named after the historic Portage
Trail around the Chaudière Falls
and Rapids which ended near the present location of the bridge.
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
just down-river from the Chaudière Bridge, joining the communities of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, 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....
, linking Laurier Street
Rue Laurier
Rue Laurier is a main street located in the heart of the City of Gatineau, Quebec. It starts at Rue Eddy and ends at Rue Dussault....
and Alexandre-Taché Boulevard
Boulevard Alexandre-Taché
Boulevard Alexandre-Taché is an east-west road located in the city of Gatineau, Quebec. It is named in honour of former National Assembly of Quebec member for the Hull electoral district, Alexandre Taché who served as the MNA for 15 years with the Union Nationale political party when they were in...
in the Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
sector of Gatineau and Wellington Street
Wellington Street (Ottawa)
Wellington Street is an important street in Ottawa, Canada most notable for being one of the first two streets laid out in Bytown in 1826 Wellington Street (French: Rue Wellington) is an important street in Ottawa, Canada most notable for being one of the first two streets laid out in Bytown in...
at the Garden of the Provinces and Territories
Garden of the Provinces
The Garden of the Provinces is a site along Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital city. It is bounded by the Sparks Street escarpment on the south,...
in Ottawa, crossing Victoria Island on the way.
The bridge was built by the National Capital Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...
and opened in 1973. The bridge is named after the historic Portage
Portage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
Trail around the Chaudière Falls
Chaudière Falls
The Chaudière Falls are a set of cascades and waterfall in the centre of the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area in Canada where the Ottawa River narrows between a rocky escarpment on both sides of the river. The location is just west of the Chaudière Bridge, northwest of the Canadian War Museum at...
and Rapids which ended near the present location of the bridge.
See also
- List of bridges in Ottawa
- List of crossings of the Ottawa River