Editing Lethbridge Viaduct

{{More citations needed|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox Bridge
| bridge_name = Lethbridge Viaduct
| image = Lethbridge High Level.jpg
| caption = 
| official_name = Lethbridge Viaduct
| carries = [[Railway]]
| crosses = [[Oldman River]]
| locale = [[Lethbridge]], Alberta, Canada
| maint = [[Canadian Pacific Kansas City]]
| id = 
| design = 
| mainspan = 
| length = 1,624&nbsp;m
| width = 32.6&nbsp;m
| height = 95.7&nbsp;m
| load = 
| clearance = 
| below = 
| traffic = 
| open = {{date and age|1909}}
| closed = 
| toll = 
| troll = 
| map_cue = 
| map_image = 
| map_text = 
| map_width = 
| coordinates = {{coord|49|41|51|N|112|52|7|W|type:landmark_region:CA|display=inline,title}}
| lat = 
| long = 
}}

The '''Lethbridge Viaduct''', commonly known as the '''High Level Bridge''', is a [[railway]] [[trestle bridge]] over the [[Oldman River]] in [[Lethbridge]], Alberta, Canada. Constructed between 1907 and 1909 by the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]], it is the largest railway structure in Canada and the largest of its type in the world, and is still regularly maintained and used over a century since its construction.<ref name="Eng History">{{Cite web |last=Development |first=Mws.ca - Web and Application |title=Canadian Civil Engineering History & Heritage |url=http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/301/ic/cdc/civileng/eng/details.asp@id=41 |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=epe.lac-bac.gc.ca}}</ref>

In 2005, the construction of the viaduct was recognized as an [[event of national historic significance]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=10953|title=Construction of the Lethbridge Viaduct National Historic Event|website=Parks Canada|language=en|access-date=2024-09-02}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Location map|Canada Lethbridge|lat=49.69760|long=-112.86872|caption=Location of Lethbridge Viaduct in [[Lethbridge]]|float=left|width=200}}
Prior to the Lethbridge Viaduct, the main railway crossing over the Oldman River was a wooden trestle measuring {{cvt|894|m|ft}} long and {{cvt|20|m|ft}} high. The trestles on the original line out of Lethbridge totalled {{cvt|2.8|mi|order=flip}}. Many railways in the area went through the [[Crowsnest Pass]] between Lethbridge and [[Fort Macleod]], over steep grades that hampered operations. In addition, extensive cuts and many other bridges were needed to cross various creeks and [[coulee]]s. Past the [[St. Mary River (Montana-Alberta)|St. Mary River]] crossing, several large cuts and large bridges were also required, including a {{cvt|900|ft|order=flip}} trestle with a {{cvt|200|ft|order=flip}} span west of the St. Mary River, a {{cvt|600|ft|order=flip}} trestle at Eight-Mile Coulee, and another of {{cvt|900|ft|order=flip}} in length near Eight-Mile Coulee. At Sixteen-Mile Coulee there was a {{cvt|800|ft|order=flip}} trestle, {{cvt|133|ft|order=flip}} high with a {{cvt|200|ft|order=flip}} truss span over the creek.

Although the original route accomplished its purpose in allowing the CPR to rapidly complete the railway, it turned out to be expensive to operate. The original bridges were designed to last only about 10 years. In 1905, the CPR decided, to construct a completely new route on a better gradient to bypass the original line. The new line was built to the north of the Oldman River. It required two bridges, one in Lethbridge—the ''High Level Bridge''—over the Oldman River, and another large bridge over the Oldman River again west of [[Monarch, Alberta|Monarch]]. This route eliminated many curves and reduced the grade from 1.2 percent to only 0.4 percent. It also saved {{cvt|5.26|mi|order=flip}} of track.

[[File:Lethbridge Viaduct.gif|thumb|right|200px|The Lethbridge Viaduct in 1910]]

The Lethbridge Viaduct was designed by the CPR's [[bridge]] department in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]]. Construction began in the summer of 1907, directed by CPR's Assistant Chief Engineer [[John Edward Schwitzer]]. Clearing and grading the site, construction of piers, and placement of the footings progressed while the steelwork was being prefabricated. The steelwork was manufactured by the Canadian Bridge Company of [[Walkerville, Ontario]]. Raising the steelwork began in mid-August 1908 and was performed by around 100 workers. Transport of the steel to the site required 645 railway cars while another 40 were needed to bring in equipment. Once the steelwork reached track level at the Lethbridge end, it was possible to begin assembly using a huge travelling crane called an "erection traveller", which was built on site at a cost of $100,000 and was used to lower the steel beams and girders into place. The last girder was placed in June 1909 and riveting was completed in August 1909. The total cost of the Lethbridge Viaduct's construction was $1,334,525.

== Specifications ==
* Length: {{cvt|5,327|ft|7+1/2|in|disp=flip}}
* Height: {{cvt|314|ft|disp=flip}} above river bed
* Materials: {{convert|12,400|ST|disp=flip}} of steel
* Deck spans and lengths:
** 44 plate girder spans each of {{cvt|67|ft|1|in|disp=flip}}
** 22 plate girder spans each of {{cvt|98|ft|10|in|disp=flip}}
** one riveted lattice-truss of {{cvt|107|ft|disp=flip}}
* Rigid braced steel towers: total of 33

The second bridge over the Oldman River, near Monarch, is {{cvt|1890|ft|disp=flip}} long and {{cvt|150|ft|disp=flip}} high.

== In popular culture ==
The Lethbridge Viaduct appears in the 4th episode of the 2023 TV series ''[[The Last of Us (TV series)|The Last of Us]]''. Through videographic editing, the bridge is depicted as abandoned for decades and collapsed in the middle.<ref>{{cite web |title=Did you see that: Two recognizable Alberta spots were just spotted in episode four of "The Last of Us" {{!}} News |url=https://dailyhive.com/calgary/the-last-of-us-episode-four-alberta |website=dailyhive.com |language=en}}</ref>
It is also prominent in the 1976 movie Silver Streak.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075223/]

== See also ==
* [[List of bridges in Canada]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Lethbridge Viaduct}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927024559/http://www.lethbridge.ca/NR/rdonlyres/CEDD645A-0834-4950-9633-ABBDAD4C1347/7141/bridge.wmv Video clip of historic photos]
* [http://digitallibrary.uleth.ca/cdm/search/searchterm/%20High%20Level%20Bridge/mode/exact Photo Collection of Bridge]
* [https://archive.today/20130219190408/http://history.csce.ca/lethbridge-viaduct-lethbridge-alberta/ Canadian Society of Civil Engineers History]
* [http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesPhotosResults.aspx?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/search/archivesPhotosResults.aspx&BU=&TN=IMAGEBAN&SN=AUTO23238&SE=457&RN=0&MR=10&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=0&XP=&RF=WebResults&EF=&DF=WebResultsDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=255&ID=&MF=WPEngMsg.ini&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=86181&NR=0&NB=0&SV=0&BG=&FG=&QS=ArchivesPhotosSearch&OEX=ISO-8859-1&OEH=ISO-8859-1]
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[[Category:Canadian Pacific Railway bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:Railway bridges in Alberta]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1909]]
[[Category:History of Lethbridge]]
[[Category:Transport in Lethbridge]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lethbridge]]
[[Category:Trestle bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:1909 establishments in Alberta]]