Whirlpool Rapids Bridge

Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
	Whirlpool Rapids Bridge (left) with out-of-service Michigan Central Railway Bridge (far right). A since-removed viaduct of the Niagara Scenic Parkway is also visible in the distance.
Coordinates	43°06′33″N 79°03′30″W / 43.109208°N 79.058336°W
Carries	2 auto lanes (lower); 1 rail line (upper)
Crosses	Niagara River
Locale	Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York
Named for	Niagara Whirlpool
Maintained by	Niagara Falls Bridge Commission; Amtrak (rail deck)
Characteristics
Design	Arch bridge
Total length	329 metres (1,079.40 ft)
Width	16.9 metres (55.45 ft) (lower); 10 metres (32.81 ft) (upper)
Longest span	167.6 metres (549.87 ft)
Clearance above	3.96 metres (12.99 ft) (lower)
Clearance below	68.6 metres (225.07 ft)
History
Opened	1897
Statistics
Daily traffic	543 (2006)
Toll	Canada-bound only:; $5.00 USD per passenger vehicle (via prepaid account linked to NEXUS card or E-ZPass payment)
Location

The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, commonly known as the Whirlpool Bridge or the Lower Steel Arch Bridge (before 1937), is a spandrel braced, riveted, two-hinged arch bridge that crosses the Canada–United States border, connecting the commercial downtown districts of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York. This bridge is located approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) north of the Rainbow Bridge and about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the Falls. It was acquired by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission in January 1959. Immediately upstream is the similar arch-style Michigan Central Railway Bridge, which has been out of service since 2001.