Alexandra Interprovincial Bridge
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
Until the construction of the Alexandra Interprovincial Bridge (from 1892 to 1900 for the princely sum of $250,000), the Chaudière Bridge was the only one to cross the Ottawa River.
The construction of the Alexandra Bridge was made difficult, not only by the accumulated timber debris in the river (up to 15 metres deep), but also by the severe winter weather (no surprise to us Ottawans!). The bridge's central span at 172 metres (556 feet) was the fourth largest in the world at the time.
The bridge opened early in 1901 with railway tracks running down the centre and lanes for carriages, streetcars and pedestrians on either side. In September of that year, the Interprovincial Bridge was renamed for the queen consort, Alexandra.
Today, thousands of commuters travel back and forth across our many inter-provincial bridges and the construction of a new inter-provincial bridge continues to be a controversial issue.
Does your daily commute take you from Ontario to Quebec (or vice-versa)? Tell us your story.
