Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge

Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge
Coordinates47°21′36.5″N 68°19′43.3″W / 47.360139°N 68.328694°W / 47.360139; -68.328694
CrossesSaint John River
Characteristics
Total length1,825 feet (556 m)
Load limit5 tons
History
Construction start2020
Construction end2024
Construction costUSD 99 million
Opened1921
Statistics
Daily traffic2,082
Location
Map

The Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge is an international bridge which connects the cities of Edmundston, New Brunswick, in Canada and Madawaska, Maine, in the United States, across the Saint John River.[1] The bridge consists of four steel through truss spans, each 70.71 metres (232.0 ft) in length, for a total length of 287.12 metres (942.0 ft), which carries a two lane open steel grid deck roadway.

The bridge was constructed in 1920, replacing a cable ferry, and opened in 1921. Its original asphalt and timber deck was replaced with the current steel grid deck in 1961.

Transport Canada estimated the bridge's traffic at 759,803 vehicles annually in 2006.

Effective October 27, 2017, the Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge weight restriction was reduced to 5 tons.[2] Vehicles over 5 tons will be rerouted to the Fort Kent–Clair Border Crossing located 33 kilometres (21 mi) west or the Saint Leonard–Van Buren Bridge located 41 kilometres (25 mi) southeast of Edmundston.

Construction on a new bridge, intended to serve as a replacement, began in May 2021. The new bridge is expected to be opened by the end of 2023, after which the current bridge is slated for demolition.[1] In November 2023, a spokesperson for the U.S. General Services Administration said that the new bridge wouldn't open until the Spring of 2024 because of delays in the construction of the U.S. Customs House building. The Maine Department of Transportation said that the entire bridge project, including the demolition of the old bridge, would be completed by 30 June 2025.[3]

The new bridge which cost $135 million opened in June 2024.[4][5] Funding for the construction of the bridge was divided between the U.S. federal government's Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program (INFRA) and the governments of New Brunswick and Maine.[6]

Border crossing

Main article: Madawaska - Edmundston Border Crossing

The Madawaska - Edmundston Border Crossing is located at the Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge that connects the town of Madawaska, Maine with Edmundston, New Brunswick on the Canada–US border.

The first US border station at Madawaska was a small white cabin at the end of the bridge. Around 1930, a two-story wooden border station was constructed. This was replaced by the current one-story brick border station in 1960. For many years, Canada had a small wooden border station with a red roof. This structure was replaced in 1992 with the current brick facility.

As part of the new bridge construction project, a new land port of entry will be built on the Madawaska side; construction is projected to begin in summer 2021.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Madawaska/Edmundston International Bridge Replacement Project". maine.gov. Maine Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  2. ^ "Weight Limit on Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge in Maine reduced to five tons beginning Friday, October 27th". livingstonintl.com. November 3, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  3. ^ MacKinnon, Bobbi-Jean (20 November 2023). "Opening of new international bridge in Edmundston delayed, cost increased". CBC. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  4. ^ Fowler, Shane (2022-11-17). "New international bridge in northern N.B. hits the halfway mark". CBC. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  5. ^ Poitras, Jacques (2024-06-13). "New bridge between New Brunswick and Maine may not revive battered cross-border bonds". CBC. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  6. ^ "Senator Collins Announces $36 Million toward Replacement of Madawaska International Bridge | U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine". www.collins.senate.gov. 2019-07-22. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
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