The road and rail bridge was built in 1912 by the local paper company, Resolute Forest Products, and as of 2023 is owned by Aazhogan Limited Partnership. Previous owners include Boise Inc. and Resolute, which operated paper mills on the US and Canadian sides of the river, respectively, until the Fort Frances mill closed in 2014.[1] A couplet for northbound vehicles was built in 1980.
The bridge toll is charged in US dollars on northbound traffic. As of early 2024, the toll rates are $9 USD/$11 CAD for cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles, $13 USD/$16 CAD for campers, semi-trucks and buses, and $350 USD/$430 CAD for oversized loads, with each additional axle being $3 USD/$4 CAD.[2] Discounted multi-trip swipe cards are available at the area grocery stores.[3][4] A commuter card, which provides 12 prepaid crossings, is available from local businesses for $72 USD/$90 CAD. There is no toll collected on southbound trips or for pedestrian traffic.
The bridge carries both road traffic and rail traffic of the Minnesota, Dakota and Western Railway without grade separation. The rails run along the west side of the bridge, which also carries a pipeline between the paper mills. The east side of the bridge carries two lanes of automobile traffic, one in each direction. Trucks and buses are directed to drive on the rail portion of the bridge, which is capable of handling heavier loads.
A dam constructed in 1905 lies immediately west of the bridge. The reservoir to the east of the dam conceals the rapids for which International Falls was named.[5]
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