Sioux Narrows Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Sioux Narrows Bridge is a bridge on Highway 71
at Sioux Narrows
, Ontario
, which spans the Sioux Narrows strait between Whitefish Bay and Lake of the Woods
.
Built in 1936 of Douglas fir timber as an all-wooden truss bridge
, it was at 210 feet (64 m) the longest single-span wooden bridge in North America
. The bridge overlooks the site of an 18th century battle in which the local Anishnaabe and Cree
nations defeated an invading force of Sioux
.
Due to its unique construction, the bridge was designated an Ontario Heritage Site.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the deteriorating quality of the structure necessitated load and lane restrictions on the bridge, and reconstruction soon became a necessity. Finally, a temporary bridge was built in 2003, and the wooden bridge was dismantled.
The decision was finally made to balance the need for structural improvements and durability with the structure's heritage by building the new bridge out of steel
, but cladding the steel trusses in wood to preserve the original bridge's appearance.
Construction began on the new bridge in 2006, and the bridge was reopened to traffic in November 2007.
Highway 71 (Ontario)
King's Highway 71, commonly referred to as Highway 71, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The route travels concurrently with Highway 11 for from the Fort Frances-International Falls International Bridge in Fort Frances, where it continues south as U.S....
at Sioux Narrows
Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls, Ontario
Population trend:* Population in 2006: 672* Population in 2001: 577* Population total in 1996: 794** Sioux Narrows : 430* Population in 1991:** Sioux Narrows : 390-External links:*...
, 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....
, which spans the Sioux Narrows strait between Whitefish Bay and Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
.
Built in 1936 of Douglas fir timber as an all-wooden truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
, it was at 210 feet (64 m) the longest single-span wooden bridge in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The bridge overlooks the site of an 18th century battle in which the local Anishnaabe and Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
nations defeated an invading force of Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
.
Due to its unique construction, the bridge was designated an Ontario Heritage Site.
Reconstruction
The decision was finally made to balance the need for structural improvements and durability with the structure's heritage by building the new bridge out of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, but cladding the steel trusses in wood to preserve the original bridge's appearance.
Construction began on the new bridge in 2006, and the bridge was reopened to traffic in November 2007.