The Peace Bridge Authority recently marked the completion of a multi-year, $100 million rehabilitation project on the Peace Bridge, which is said will add many more years to the life span of a critical crossing for the region's important cross-border traffic between the U.S. and Canada.
According to the Peace Bridge Authority, the Peace Bridge is located near the center of downtown Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Ontario, where it crosses the Niagara River. The Peace Bridge is one of four vehicular toll crossings over the Niagara River in the region. The other three crossings are the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, and the Rainbow Bridge, which are owned and operated by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission and are located roughly 20 highway miles north of the Peace Bridge.
According to a report from WBFO, work on the rehabilitation project included widening and strengthening of the span, full replacement of the bridge deck and structural steel, new traffic control gantries, railings, and light posts. By widening the span, crews were able to put in a new bicycle and pedestrian path as part of the project.
According to the bridge authority, the Peace Bridge measures 3,580 ft in length from abutment to abutment. The roadway is 36 ft wide from curb to curb with two 6-ft pedestrian sidewalks on either side of the bridge. Today, the Peace Bridge has been modified to a three-lane bridge with 12-ft-wide lanes, able to accommodate heavy-duty commercial loads. The center lane of this three-lane bridge is reversible, allowing for two-lane operation in one direction during peak hours.
Officials from both sides of the border have said that fixing the bridge was an important step towards maintaining economic flow into both nations, as it is one of the most used border crossings for both travel and commerce between the U.S. and Canada.
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NEWS SOURCE: WBFO / Peace Bridge Authority
IMAGE: Peace Bridge Authority via Twitter
