Lake Champlain Bridge (2011–present) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Champlain Bridge
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 replaced an older bridge that was taken down in 2009.

Building the new bridge happened very quickly. It was finished in just two years. This fast construction helped reduce problems for people and businesses. The Lake Champlain Bridge is the only main road crossing over Lake Champlain for a long distance. It's about 42 miles (68 km) north of US 4 and 85 miles (137 km) south of US 2.

A big part of the bridge, called the main arch, was built somewhere else. It was then floated on a large boat to the bridge site. On August 26, 2011, this arch was lifted into place. The bridge was supposed to open in early October 2011. However, some delays happened because of things underwater and lots of rain.

The bridge finally opened to everyone on Monday, November 7, 2011. There was a special ceremony to celebrate its opening.

Building the New Bridge

Why a New Bridge Was Needed

In 2009, experts checked the old Champlain Bridge. They found it was too old and damaged to fix. So, the states of New York and Vermont decided to build a brand new one.

Designing and Constructing the Bridge

The new bridge uses a special design called a modified network tied arch. This design helps the bridge be strong and stable. A company called Flatiron Constructors won the job to build it. They started work on June 11, 2010.

The construction cost about $69.6 million. Even though there were some challenges, the bridge was finished six weeks earlier than planned. The final cost was about $78.29 million.

Images for kids

A panorama of the replacement bridge under construction. 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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  View from the south of the bridge.

The completed bridge, as seen from the Crown Point Light