Victoria Bridge (Montreal)

Victoria Bridge Pont Victoria
Victoria Bridge as viewed from upstream, from Montreal Technoparc
Coordinates	45°29′30″N 73°31′45″W / 45.49165°N 73.52912°W / 45.49165; -73.52912
Carries	Route 112 Canadian National Railway, RTM Mont-Saint-Hilaire line, Via Rail, and Amtrak
Crosses	St. Lawrence River and Saint Lawrence Seaway
Locale	Saint-Lambert, Quebec and Montreal, Quebec (Neighbourhood of Victoriatown)
Characteristics
Design	Tubular bridge, original Truss bridge, replacement includes two lift bridges to accommodate the seaway
Piers in water	24
No. of lanes	2, one each on either side of the rail bridge
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Structure gauge	AAR
Electrified	No
History
Opened	August 25, 1860 (1860-08-25)
Location

The Victoria Bridge (French: Pont Victoria), previously known as Victoria Jubilee Bridge, is a bridge over the St. Lawrence River, linking Montreal, Quebec, to the south shore city of Saint-Lambert.

Opened in 1859, originally as a tubular bridge designed by Robert Stephenson, the bridge was the first to span the St. Lawrence River, and as such is an important historic bridge in Canada. It remains in use to this day, carrying both road and rail traffic, with rails in the middle and roadways (part of Route 112) on both sides. It is actively used by the Canadian National Railway on its Halifax to Montreal main line. It is a major contributor to Montreal's role as a continental hub in the North American rail system. Its designation for the Canadian National Railway (CNR commonly known as CN) is Mile 71.40 Subdivision St-Hyacinthe.

Originally named the Great Victoria Bridge in honour of Queen Victoria, it was officially rededicated as the Victoria Jubilee Bridge following renovations in 1897. It was returned to the name Victoria Bridge (Pont Victoria) in 1978.^[1]

The bridge is approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long, and includes 24 ice-breaking piers.