Pierre Laporte Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pierre Laporte Bridge |
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Pierre Laporte Bridge (foreground).
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| Coordinates | 46°44′42″N 71°17′27″W / 46.74500°N 71.29083°W |
| Carries | Autoroute 73 |
| Crosses | St. Lawrence River |
| Locale | Quebec City and Lévis, Quebec |
| Official name | Pont Pierre-Laporte |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Total length | 1,041 m (3,415 ft) |
| Longest span | 667.5 m (2,190 ft) |
| History | |
| Designer | Demers, Vaudry, Gronquist Parsons Transportation Group |
| Construction cost | Originally evaluated at $33 millions, it cost $55 million CAD (Approx. 359M$ in 2018 per Bank of Canada inflation) |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 122,000 |
| Toll | Free |
The Pierre Laporte Bridge (in French, Pont Pierre-Laporte) is a very important bridge in Canada. It is the longest suspension bridge in the country. This amazing bridge crosses the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec. It connects Quebec City with Lévis. It's also special because it's the longest suspension bridge in the world that you don't have to pay a toll to cross!
The bridge is located about 200 meters (656 feet) west of another famous bridge, the Quebec Bridge.
Why the Name Change?
The bridge was first called the New Quebec Bridge. It was also planned to be named Pont Frontenac (Frontenac Bridge).
However, its name was changed to honor Pierre Laporte. He was a very important politician in Quebec. He served as the Vice-Premier of Quebec. The bridge was renamed in his memory in 1970. This happened when the bridge was almost finished.
The Province of Quebec's Department of Roads worked with a private company, Parsons Transportation Group, to build the bridge.
What the Bridge Carries
The Pierre Laporte Bridge is a busy pathway for cars and trucks. It carries Autoroute 73. This highway goes north from Autoroute 20, which is part of the Trans-Canada Highway. Autoroute 73 then continues towards Quebec City and Autoroute 40, and further north towards Saguenay.
How Big is It?
The Pierre Laporte Bridge is a huge structure.
- It was built between 1966 and 1970.
- The main part of the bridge, called the main span, is 667.5 meters (2,190 feet) long.
- The sections on either side of the main span are 186.5 meters (612 feet) long each.
- The total length of the bridge between its anchor points is 1,041 meters (3,415 feet).
- The bridge has six lanes for traffic. It is designed as a freeway bridge.
- It can handle about 90,000 vehicles every day!
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Quebec and Pierre-Laporte Bridges in winter.
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Pierre-Laporte Bridge (May 2015).
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View from under the north side of the bridge.
