Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
Coordinates: 43 ° 6 ′ 33 ″ N , 79 ° 3 ′ 30 ″ W.
| Whirlpool Rapids Bridge | ||
|---|---|---|
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| use | Rail and car traffic | |
| Crossing of | Niagara River | |
| place |
Niagara Falls (Ontario) - Niagara Falls (New York) |
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| construction | Steel - arch bridge , double-decker bridge | |
| overall length | 329 m | |
| Longest span | 167.6 m | |
| Arrow height | 34.7 m | |
| height | 68.6 m | |
| start of building | 1896 | |
| opening | 1897 | |
| planner | Leffert L. Buck | |
| location | ||
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The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge (also just called Whirlpool Bridge , formerly Lower Steel Arch Bridge ) is a two-story railroad and road bridge over the Niagara River , which connects the places Niagara Falls (Ontario) and Niagara Falls (New York) and thus also the countries Canada and USA connects. It is about 4 km below Niagara Falls and 2.3 km below the Rainbow Bridge .
On the bridge deck there is a railroad track that is only used by the Maple Leaf , a passenger train operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada that runs between New York Pennsylvania Station and Toronto Union Station .
There are two lanes for car traffic on the lower deck . Only travelers with NEXUS ID cards for accelerated border controls are permitted. Trucks, pedestrians and cyclists are not allowed to use the bridge.
The bridge, originally called the Lower Steel Arch Bridge , became necessary because the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge , which stood in its place, was no longer able to cope with the increasing traffic. The steel arch bridge with an overhead truss was designed by Leffert L. Buck and built between April 9, 1896 and August 27, 1897. The traffic on the suspension bridge was maintained, the new bridge was built around the old suspension bridge, which also served as a construction aid for the new one.
The name Lower Steel Arch Bridge differentiated it from the Upper Steel Arch Bridge below Niagara Falls , which was also built by Leffert L. Buck in the following two years .
The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge is a 329 m long, two articulated steel - arch bridge of riveted trusses . Her arch has a wingspan of 167.6 m and an arrow height of 34.7 m. The top of the track deck is 68.6 m above the Niagara River. It is operated by the Canadian-US Niagara Falls Bridge Commission , as is the Rainbow Bridge and the Lewiston – Queenston Bridge .
Immediately south of the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge is the Michigan Central Railway Bridge , which opened in 1925 and closed a few years ago .
Web links
- Whirlpool Rapids Bridge. In: Structurae
- Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
- The Upper Steel Arch Bridge on Bridges over Niagara Falls (English)