INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE AUTHORITY
SAULT STE. MARIE
The International Bridge Authority isa board composed of members from theProvince of Ontario and the State ofMichigan. Its purpose is to overseemanagement and operation of the InternationalBridge.
For information, write to:
P.O. Box 317
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
| BRIDGE FACTS | |
|---|---|
| Name: | The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge |
| Length: | Total maintenance length from American and Canadian approaches—2.8 miles. |
| Cost: | $20,000,000. |
| Designers: | Steinman, Boynton, Gronquist & London, New York. |
| Construction: | Started September 16, 1960. Opened to traffic October 31, 1962. |
| Width: | 28 foot roadway between curbs, providing 14 foot traffic lanes in each direction. |
| Tolls: | $1.50 each way for passenger cars. No extra charge for passengers. Canadian money accepted at par. |
| Height: | Roadway is 145 feet above ground level at its highest point. |
| Clearance: | Bridge has 124 feet minimum vertical clearance above low water in ship canals. |
| Weight: | 125,000 tons of which 114,000 tons are concrete and 11,000 tons are structural steel. |
| Colors: | Green and ivory. |
| Speeds: | Maximum 30 miles per hour. |
FROM DREAMS TO REALITY
The ease of traveling through the Locks orover the St. Mary’s Rapids is now taken forgranted but the dreams of building these structuresbegan over a hundred years ago, justafter Michigan became a state in 1837.
Traveling from one side of the river to theother first began in canoes. Bands of OjibwaIndians would camp and fish at the rapids theycalled “Bawating”, meaning rushing water.
The rapids became a gathering point for asmany as 50,000 Native Americans each summer,for centuries.
In the 1600’s it became a settlement forFrench explorers and fur traders.
Through wars control of the rapids went tothe British in the mid 1700’s and finally, a sharedborder with the United States in the 1800’s.
As copper and iron ore were discovered inthe western Upper Peninsula in 1830, ship trafficincreased but had to be portaged over landat the rapids. This difficult task eventually ledto construction of the first lock in 1855, and thesecond in 1871, a joint venture betw