Lake Champlain Bridge (2011–present) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Champlain Bridge
View of the bridge looking north in December 2021
Coordinates	44°01′57″N 73°25′24″W / 44.03250°N 73.42333°W / 44.03250; -73.42333
Carries	Two lanes of NY 185 and VT 17
Crosses	Lake Champlain
Locale	Crown Point, New York and Chimney Point, Vermont
Maintained by	NYSDOT and VTrans
Characteristics
Design	Modified network tied arch
Total length	2,200 ft (670 m)
Longest span	480 ft (150 m) (clear span) 402 ft (123 m) (tied arch span)
History
Opened	November 7, 2011

The Lake Champlain Bridge is a special bridge that crosses Lake Champlain. It connects Crown Point, New York, with Chimney Point, Vermont. This bridge helps cars and trucks travel between the two states. It replaced an older bridge that was taken down in 2009.

Building the new bridge happened very quickly. It took only two years to design and build. This fast construction helped reduce problems for people and businesses. The Lake Champlain Bridge is the only permanent way to cross Lake Champlain in a large area. It's the only link between Whitehall, about 42 miles (68 km) to the south, and Rouses Point, about 85 miles (137 km) to the north.

A big part of the bridge, called the main arch span, was built somewhere else. It was made in Port Henry, then floated on a large boat (a barge) to the bridge site. On August 26, 2011, this huge arch was lifted into place. The bridge was supposed to open on October 9, 2011. However, it opened a month later because of some construction delays. These delays were caused by things underwater and a lot of flooding. The bridge officially opened to the public on Monday, November 7, 2011, after a special ceremony.

Why a New Bridge Was Needed

In October 2009, experts checked the old Lake Champlain Bridge. They found that the 80-year-old bridge was too old and damaged to be safe. It could not be fixed. So, the states of New York and Vermont decided to build a brand new bridge.

Designing the New Bridge

The new bridge uses a special design called a "modified network tied arch." This design is strong and modern. A company called Flatiron Constructors won the job to build it. They started construction on June 11, 2010. The contract for building the bridge was for $69.6 million. The project finished six weeks earlier than planned. The final cost was $78.29 million.

Images for kids

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  A panorama of the replacement bridge under construction in July 2011. The main arch span was brought in by barge and raised between the two approach spans shown above.

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  View from the bridge deck during the "Grand Celebration" for the re-opening of the Lake Champlain Bridge on May 19, 2012.

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  View of Lake Champlain Bridge from Crown Point.

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  Aerial view of Lake Champlain Bridge connecting Addison, Vermont (right) & Crown Point, New York (left).

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  View from below the Lake Champlain Bridge on the Vermont side on Chimney Point.

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  The completed bridge, as seen from the Crown Point Light