Papineau-Leblanc Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Papineau-Leblanc Bridge |
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The Papineau-Leblanc bridge was one of the first cable-stayed bridges in North America.
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| Carries | 6 lanes of  Autoroute 19 |
| Crosses | Rivière des Prairies |
| Locale | Laval, Quebec and Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Maintained by | Transports Québec |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 420.6 m |
| Width | 27.2 m |
| Longest span | 240 m |
| History | |
| Opened | 1969 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 56,000 (2013) |
The Papineau-Leblanc Bridge is a very important bridge in Quebec, Canada. It was one of the first cable-stayed bridges ever built in North America. This bridge connects the cities of Laval and Montreal by crossing the Rivière des Prairies river. It carries Quebec Autoroute 19, which is a major highway with six lanes.
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What is a Cable-Stayed Bridge?
A cable-stayed bridge is a special type of bridge. It uses strong cables that connect the bridge deck directly to tall towers. These cables help hold up the bridge, making it look very modern and strong.
The Papineau-Leblanc Bridge was built using a special material called weathering steel. This steel is designed to rust on the outside, but this rust forms a protective layer. This layer stops the steel from rusting further, making the bridge very durable. The bridge also has a unique flat surface called an orthotropic deck. This deck is very light yet incredibly strong.
Where is the Bridge Located?
The Papineau-Leblanc Bridge is a key part of Quebec Autoroute 19. It links the northern part of Montreal with the city of Laval. At its southern end, the highway connects to Henri Bourassa Boulevard. From there, Autoroute 19 continues as Avenue Papineau towards Quebec Autoroute 40.
How Did the Bridge Get Its Name?
The name Papineau-Leblanc comes from two sources.
The Leblanc Part
The Leblanc part of the name comes from a street in Laval. This street was called Leblanc Street. It was named after Alpha Leblanc, who owned land in the area. Parts of this old street still exist on both sides of the highway today.
The Papineau Part
The Papineau part of the name comes from Papineau Avenue. This is a major street in Montreal that the highway connects to. Many local people simply call the bridge Papineau.
A Proposed Name Change
In 2000, there was a suggestion to rename the bridge after a person named Pietro Rizzuto. This idea was first approved. However, the Commission de Toponymie du Québec later rejected the change. This commission is a group that decides on place names in Quebec. They ruled that the name Papineau-Leblanc was already well-known and accepted by local people. They felt it was important to keep the original name.
