Louise Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louise Bridge |
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Louise Bridge and Downtown West End
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| Coordinates | 51°03′04″N 114°05′06″W / 51.05116°N 114.08490°W |
| Carries | 4 lanes of 10th Street SW, pedestrians |
| Crosses | Bow River |
| Locale | [[File:|22x20px|border |alt=|link=]] Calgary |
| Maintained by | City of Calgary |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 172 meters (564 ft) |
| Width | 19.6 meters (64 ft) |
| Piers in water | 4 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1921 |
The Louise Bridge is an important bridge that crosses the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It helps people get from one side of the river to the other!
This bridge connects the Downtown West End area with Memorial Drive and Kensington. It has special lanes called reversible lanes. This means the direction of traffic on some lanes can change. In the morning, more lanes might go towards downtown for people going to work. In the afternoon, more lanes might go away from downtown for people going home. This helps keep traffic moving smoothly!
History of the Louise Bridge
The Louise Bridge was built a long time ago, in 1921. When it first opened, it was used by streetcars and people walking. It was named after Louise Cushing. She was the daughter of William Henry Cushing, who was the mayor of Calgary from 1900 to 1901.
In 1995, the bridge got a big update. It was made stronger and safer. This project cost about 5.1 million $s. Today, about 26,000 vehicles cross the Louise Bridge every single day!
How the Bridge is Built
The Louise Bridge is made from a strong material called reinforced concrete. It has five big arch shapes that support it. Each of these arch sections is about 32 meters (105 ft) long.
The total length of the bridge is about 172 meters (564 ft). That's longer than a football field! The total width of the bridge is about 19.6 meters (64 ft). This allows for four lanes of traffic and space for people to walk.
