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.
Coordinates43°06′33″N 79°03′30″W / 43.109208°N 79.058336°W / 43.109208; -79.058336
Carries2 auto lanes (lower)
1 rail line (upper)
CrossesNiagara River
LocaleNiagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York
Named forNiagara Whirlpool
Maintained byNiagara Falls Bridge Commission
Amtrak (rail deck)
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
Total length329 metres (1,079.40 ft)
Width16.9 metres (55.45 ft) (lower)
10 metres (32.81 ft) (upper)
Longest span167.6 metres (549.87 ft)
Clearance above3.96 metres (12.99 ft) (lower)
Clearance below68.6 metres (225.07 ft)
History
Opened1897
Statistics
Daily traffic543 (2006)
TollCanada-bound only:
$5.00 USD per passenger vehicle (via prepaid account linked to NEXUS card or E-ZPass payment)[1]
Location
Map

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.

  1. ^ "Toll Cost & Vehicle Definitions". Retrieved 2022-08-01.