Backgrounder
The only bridge of its kind in the world
The only bridge of its kind in the world
- The Québec Bridge (the Bridge) is the longest clear-span cantilever bridge in the world. The free span between its 2 pillars measures 549 metres, and the total length of the Bridge is 987 metres.
- The structure contains 60,000 tonnes of steel, 8 times more steel than was used for the Eiffel Tower. The suspended span in the middle of the Bridge weighs 5,000 tonnes and is 195 metres long.
- The Bridge is the only bridge in Canada to be designated a National Historic Site of Canada (in 1995), to be listed in the Canadian Register of Historic Places (in 2009) and to be designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Monument by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (SCGC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (in 1987).
Use and ownership
- From the beginning, the Bridge was built primarily to increase economic development in Québec and to connect the City to the Canadian and American rail systems.
- Following the construction and testing of the Bridge, the Government of Canada assumed ownership on August 21, 1918.
- From 1929 to 1942, the Bridge operated as a toll bridge, charging 50¢ per vehicle and 10¢ per passenger (equal to $7.55 per verhicle and $1.51 per passenger in 2021).
- In 1952, one railway line was removed and the other was shifted to widen the roadway in order to meet the growing demand for motor transport between the two shores.
- In 1993, a third highway lane was added to the Bridge’s roadway deck to accommodate vehicles.
- In 1995, the Bridge was transferred to Canadian National Railway (CN), which became responsible for maintaining the structure and ensuring its long-term viability.
- More than 33,000 vehicles, including 404 transit buses, and approximately 10 passenger trains and 3 freight trains cross the Bridge every day.
- There are also 1,000 crossings by foot or by bycicle per day during the summer.
Maintenance
- The paint on the Bridge is not just for aesthetic purposes: it is also a protective coating that slows the corrosion process on the steel structure.
- The steel surface to be painted and protected is estimated at 495,000 m2, the equivalent of approximately 92 football fields.
- Paint work can only be done from May through October due to weather conditions in the Québec area.
- The paint is expected to last 20 to 35 years, depending on where it was applied on the Bridge.
