The history of the Québec Bridge
Backgrounder
A masterpeice of engineering, a historic structure and a strategic asset
The first construction
On October 2, 1900, the Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, placed the cornerstone of the Québec Bridge. A few years later, on August 29, 1907, the south section of the bridge collapsed and killed 76 workers, including 33 Mohawk workers from the Kahnawake community.
The rail bridge was designed to link the two shores and provide easier transit for the 11 railroad companies in particular between the railways in Québec and the United States. The design included two tracks for trains and one lane of roadway. It was, and still is, the longest clear span cantilever bridge in the world, measuring 549 metres between its main pillars.
On August 17, 1908, the Minister of Railways and Canals tasked 3 engineers, including the Canadian H.E. Vautelet, with carrying out necessary changes to the bridge’s basic design. This led to the use of nickel alloy steel to decrease the risk of fracturing. In 1913, construction began, and the central span was built in Sillery Cove from May to July 1916. On September 11, 1916, the bridge tragically collapsed for the last time killing 13 workers and injuring more than 14 others. To this day, the collapsed central span rests at the bottom of the river.
Final construction
On September 20, 1917, the construction and installation of a new span were successfully completed connecting the two sides of the St. Lawrence River and the first locomotive crossed over the river to the south shore with two passenger cars carrying 400 passengers on October 17, 1917. The Prince of Wales officially inaugurated the Québec Bridge on August 29, 1919.
Configuration of the bridge decks
In 1929, a roadway was added to the two rail lines to accommodate the needs of residents in the Québec city area, and it operated as a toll bridge for cars from 1929 to 1942. In 1949, the federal authorities decided to change the configuration of the decks by repurposing one of the rail lines for car traffic. To meet the growing traffic between the shores, a third roadway was added in 1993.
Cultural value
The bridge is both an architectural gem and a national historical site. On May 23, 1987, the Québec Bridge was designated a Historical Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers to highlight the technical challenge of its construction at the beginning of the century. At the time, this honour had been awarded to only four other civil engineering works worldwide. On January 24, 1996, the Government of Canada designated the Québec Bridge a National Historic Site, recognizing it as the most important bridge in the history of Canadian civil engineering.
Strategic connection
Today, the bridge continues to allow passengers and goods to move freely between the two shores and the rest of North America. Over 35,000 vehicles, including 270 transit buses, and approximately 8 VIA passenger trains and 5 CN freight trains cross the Québec Bridge every day.
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