Three Nations Crossing

North Channel Bridge of Three Nations Crossing
Carries	Two Lanes of Traffic
Crosses	Saint Lawrence River
Locale	Cornwall, Ontario
Maintained by	Seaway International Bridge Corporation
Design	Truss bridge
Total length	1,652 m (5,420 ft)
Width	8.2 m (27 ft)
Height	15ft. 6inc.
Load limit	115,000lbs
Opened	1962
Toll	$3.25 CDN/USD
Daily traffic	7,000–9,000 Cars Daily
Coordinates	45°00′N 74°44′W / 45.00°N 74.74°W / 45.00; -74.74Coordinates: 45°00′N 74°44′W / 45.00°N 74.74°W / 45.00; -74.74

South Channel Bridge of Three Nations Crossing
Carries	Two Lanes of Traffic
Crosses	Saint Lawrence River
Locale	Cornwall, Ontario/Massena, New York
Maintained by	Seaway International Bridge Corporation
Design	suspension bridge
Total length	1,060 m (3,480 ft)
Width	8.2 m (27 ft)
Height	15ft. 6inc.
Longest span	275 m (902 ft)
Load limit	115,000lbs
Opened	1958
Toll	$3.25 CDN/USD
Daily traffic	7,000–9,000 Cars Daily

The Three Nations Crossing is a border crossing connecting the city of Cornwall, Ontario in Canada to Rooseveltown, New York, a neighbourhood within the town of Massena, in the United States. The crossing is traversed by the Seaway International Bridge, which crosses the St. Lawrence River and is 4.7 kilometers (2.9 mi) in total length.

The bridge is jointly owned by the Federal Bridge Corporation and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. It is operated by the Seaway International Bridge Corporation, which came under the control of the Federal Bridge Corporation from the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority in 1998.

Previously known as the Cornwall-Massena International Bridge, the SIB was a private bridge whose outstanding stock was purchased by the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority (Canada) and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (U.S.) in 1957. It was incorporated in Canada five years later.

The bridge consists of the South and North Channel Bridges. The South Channel Bridge was opened in 1958, and spans the St. Lawrence Seaway. The North Channel Bridge, opened in 1962, connects the City of Cornwall to Cornwall Island.

In 2000, the international border crossing that the Seaway International Bridge comprises was named the Three Nations Crossing, in honour of the Mohawks of Akwesasne who inhabit the region.

On May 31, 2009, Akwesasne Mohawks peacefully occupied the area around the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) port of entry building to protest the Canadian government's decision to arm border agents on Mohawk land by June 1, 2009. At 11:45 p.m. on May 31, the border guards were ordered by the CBSA to leave the building, Canadian Customs was closed, and the north span of the bridge was closed.^[1] Although American Customs remained opened for southbound traffic, northbound traffic was blocked on the American side by both American and Canadian officials. Over the following six weeks, the Canadian border officially remained closed (though there were a few leaks^{[citation needed]}). At 06:00 on July 13, CBSA opened a "temporary" border post at the north end of the north span of the bridge in the city of Cornwall, effectively opening the bridge for all traffic in both directions.

See also

• List of crossings of the Saint Lawrence River
• Cornwall Island (Ontario)

References

1. ^ "Mohawks Allow Some To Cross Bridge: Border Dispute Enters Second Week". Plattsburgh, New York: WPTZ. June 8, 2009. http://www.wptz.com/news/19690801/detail.html. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 

External links

• "Three Nations Crossing". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:2419920. Retrieved September 18, 2010. 
• Seaway International Bridge Corporation