Rainbow Bridge (Niagara Falls)
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| Rainbow Bridge | |
 Rainbow Bridge as seen from observation area of the Canadian Falls |
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| Carries | 4 lanes of vehicular traffic (2 each way), pedestrian traffic |
|---|---|
| Crosses | Niagara River |
| Locale | Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York |
| Maintained by | Niagara Falls Bridge Commission |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Longest span | 950 feet (290 m) |
| Opening date | November 1, 1941 |
The Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls is a steel arch bridge linking the United States and Canada, and is a world-famous tourist site. The bridge has been replicated by the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge approximately 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to the north. It connects the Cities of Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario, spanning the Niagara River. The New York State Department of Transportation designates the bridge New York State Reference Route 955A (though it is unsigned), while the Ontario Ministry of Transportation designates the bridge as part of Highway 420, even though it is separated from the rest of the route by a regional road.
The Rainbow Bridge was built near the site of the earlier Honeymoon Bridge, also called the Falls View Bridge or officially the Upper Steel Arch Bridge, which had collapsed on January 27, 1938, due to an ice jam in the river. A joint Canadian and American commission had already been considering a new bridge to replace it, to which the collapse gave added urgency. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, during their visit to Niagara Falls as part of the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada, dedicated the site of the Rainbow Bridge. A monument was erected to commemorate the occasion. Construction began in May of 1940. The official opening of the Rainbow Bridge took place on November 1, 1941.
On the American side, a number of state and national routes end at a set of intersections in front of the bridge. New York State Route 104, New York State Route 384, and the northern section of the Robert Moses State Parkway all terminate at the final intersection before the bridge, and none of the designations are passed onto the bridge itself. U.S. Route 62 terminates two blocks north at Route 104, which then continues to the bridge.
The complex on the Canadian side of the Rainbow Bridge features the Rainbow Tower, which houses a large carillon. It sounds multiple times daily.
The Rainbow Bridge was designed by well-known architect Richard (Su Min) Lee. Lee, who was 1926 graduate of M.I.T., originally came from Beijing, China in 1919 and was the son of a celebrated Mandarin scholar of the royal court. Mr. Lee went on to design several notable edifices, primarily in Manhattan, New York.
[edit] External links
- Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
- Google Maps view of Rainbow Bridge
- Location of the bridge with photos, videos, and other web sites related to the area
| Bridges of the Niagara River | |||
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| Upstream North Grand Island Bridge  |
Rainbow Bridge |
Downstream Michigan Central Railway Bridge  |
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Categories: Bridges completed in 1941 | Bridges in Ontario | Bridges in New York | Canada-United States border crossings | Deck arch bridges | International bridges | New York State Reference Routes and Parkway Routes | Niagara River | Transportation in Niagara Falls | Canadian bridge (structure) stubs | Ontario geography stubs | New York building and structure stubs | United States bridge (structure) stubs
