LaSalle Causeway

Learn about the LaSalle Causeway, which links downtown Kingston to Pittsburgh district at the mouth of the Cataraqui River.

On this page

• Information for motorists and other traffic
• About the causeway
• Key milestones
• Related links

Information for motorists and other traffic

Modular bridge access for land traffic

The modular bridge is currently open to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge will close on scheduled dates to open the main navigation channel to marine traffic.

Main navigation channel access for marine traffic

The main navigation channel will reopen for the 2025 marine navigation. We will reopen to marine traffic on scheduled dates starting in April.

Schedule for marine openings in 2025

Confirmed openings in 2025

• April 19, from 9 am to 5 pm
• May 3, from 9 am to 5 pm
• May 17, from 9 am to 5 pm
• May 31, from 9 am to 5 pm

After consulting stakeholders, we followed Transport Canada’s application process under the Canadian Navigable Waters Act and received approval to lift the following dates above to open the main navigation channel to marine traffic in 2025.

This schedule applies only to the 2025 marine navigation season. The schedules for 2026 and beyond were not included in this year’s application to Transport Canada. We will monitor the use of the LaSalle Causeway during this pilot year to obtain baseline data on marine and vehicle traffic. We will use the collected information to make evidence-based decisions on marine openings for future years.

Proposed schedule

• June 7, from 9 am to 7 pm
• June 14, from 9 am to 7 pm
• June 21, from 9 am to 7 pm
• June 28, from 9 am to 7 pm
• July 5, from 9 am to 7 pm
• July 12, from 9 am to 7 pm
• July 19, from 9 am to 7 pm
• July 26, from 9 am to 7 pm
• August 2, from 9 am to 7 pm
• August 9, from 9 am to 7 pm
• August 16, from 9 am to 7 pm
• August 23, from 9 am to 7 pm
• August 30, from 9 am to 7 pm
• September 6, from 9 am to 7 pm
• September 20, from 9 am to 5 pm
• October 4, from 9 am to 5 pm
• October 18, from 9 am to 5 pm
• November 1, from 9 am to 5 pm
• November 15, from 9 am to 4 pm

Favourable marine conditions are required for the removal and reinstallation of the modular bridge. Should unfavourable marine conditions, such as moderate to high winds, be forecasted or observed on the scheduled date, the work will be postponed. We will work with the City of Kingston and community stakeholders to communicate any schedule changes.

Boaters are encouraged to cross the causeway as early as possible during the opening window as reinstallation of the modular bridge may need to be done sooner depending on marine conditions.

Each time we remove the bridge for marine traffic to pass, we close the causeway to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. With reference to the dates and times listed above, travellers can expect the LaSalle Causeway to be closed from approximately 6 am to 3 hours after the marine channel is closed (for example, 7 pm, 8 pm or 10 pm).

About the causeway

The LaSalle Causeway is considered part of Highway 2, connecting the city of Kingston to its eastern suburbs.

The causeway consists of 5 interconnecting engineered structures:

• 3 bridges:
  • West Bridge
  • East Bridge
  • modular bridge (replaced the Bascule Bridge, which was removed in 2024)
• 2 wharfs:
  • West Wharf
  • East Wharf

The West Bridge and the East Bridge are 2 fixed bridges located at each end of the causeway. The central channel has a modular bridge structure in place.

The West Wharf features the site office and workshop for the bridge and the operator control station. The operator control station, used for the operation of the demolished Bascule Bridge, is not currently in use.

The LaSalle Causeway links downtown Kingston to Pittsburgh district at the mouth of the Cataraqui River.

The Cataraqui River is the southern entrance to the Rideau Canal, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The LaSalle Causeway provides marine access to the canal and the inner harbour of Kingston. The main navigation channel under the modular bridge, which opens on a fixed schedule, is for larger and taller vessels. A secondary channel under the East Bridge is available at all times for smaller and shallower vessels.

Bascule Bridge

The central channel was previously occupied by the Bascule Bridge, which lifted during the annual navigation season.

On March 30, 2024, part of the Bascule Bridge was damaged during construction. A diagonal steel truss element that supports the counterweight was compromised. We conducted an analysis of the damage. The analysis showed that key elements of the bridge structure were considerably displaced and misaligned. This would significantly reduce the life of the bridge. Following discussions with the City of Kingston, we decided to demolish and remove the entire structure of the bridge.

On June 20, the Bascule Bridge was demolished and removed, leaving the LaSalle Causeway fully open for marine navigation.

Modular bridge

On October 3, we installed a modular bridge where the previous Bascule Bridge used to be, to allow vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists to cross the causeway.

The modular bridge is a 2-lane pre-fabricated truss bridge. It accommodates legal vehicle traffic and includes a separate sidewalk. The bridge sits on the existing abutments of the previous Bascule Bridge.

The design of the modular bridge allows us to remove and reinstall it periodically to allow marine traffic to travel through the main navigation channel.

Photo gallery

Video: Moving the modular bridge for marine access through the LaSalle Causeway

Watch this video to see how the design of the modular bridge on the LaSalle Causeway allows us to remove and reinstall it.

Key milestones

The causeway has undergone various structural changes over the years:

• 1917:
  • the causeway was opened
  • the 1829 “Penny Bridge,” a wooden toll bridge with a swing section to allow passage of marine vessels, was replaced by the Bascule Bridge, a single-leaf Strauss heel trunnion bascule bridge designed by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Co. of Chicago
  • the original East Bridge and West Bridge were single-span through truss structures
• 1969: the East Bridge was replaced with a 2-span prestressed concrete voided slab beam bridge that was designed by C.C. Parker & Associates Ltd.
• 1994: the West Bridge was replaced with a 2-span prestressed concrete box beam girder bridge
• 2010: the steel structure and coating of the Bascule Bridge underwent extensive rehabilitation
• 2020: mechanical systems were repaired to address the systems’ deficiencies that impacted operations
• 2021: the structural steel was repaired to address fatigue issues in the structural truss
• 2022: concrete repairs were completed to address deficiencies on the road and critical structural items for the health and safety of the public
• 2023: construction work began on the Bascule Bridge rehabilitation
• June 2024: the Bascule Bridge was demolished and removed due to damage incurred during construction
• October 2024: a modular bridge was installed to reinstate road access for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians

Related links

• LaSalle Causeway: Removing the Bascule Bridge and installing a modular bridge
• LaSalle Causeway: Temporary closures for marine openings