Editing Thousand Islands Bridge

{{short description|Bridge linking Canada and the U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name   = Thousand Islands International Bridge
|image         = Thousand Islands Bridge July 2015 001.jpg
|image_size    = 300px
|caption       = A view of the Canadian parts of the bridge system as [[Ontario Highway 137|ON-137]] traverses the St Lawrence River across Constance Island and then Georgina Island to reach Ontario mainland. Picture taken looking north from [[1000 Islands Tower]].
|official_name = The Thousand Islands Bridge system
|carries       = 2 lanes of {{jct|state=NY|I|81}} and {{jct|state=ON|ON|137}}
|crosses       = [[Saint Lawrence River]]
|locale        = [[Wellesley Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]] to [[Hill Island (Ontario)|Hill Island]], [[Ontario]], Canada
|maint         = [[Thousand Islands Bridge Authority]]
|id            =
|design        = [[Suspension bridge|suspension]], [[arch bridge|open-spandrel deck arch bridge]] & [[truss bridge]]<ref name=facts>{{cite web |url=http://www.tibridge.com/facts.htm |title=Thousand Islands International Bridge Facts |website=Tibridge.com |access-date=2008-05-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515071852/http://www.tibridge.com/facts.htm |archive-date=2008-05-15 }}</ref>
|mainspan      = American suspension: {{convert|800|ft|m|abbr=on}}<br /> Canadian suspension: {{convert|750|ft|m|abbr=on}}<br />Canadian truss: {{convert|600|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|length        = Total: {{convert|8.5|mi|km|abbr=on}}
|width         =
|height        =
|load          =
|clearance     =
|below         =U.S.: {{convert|150|ft|m|abbr=on}}<br /> Canada: {{convert|120|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|traffic       =
|begin         = {{start date and age|April 30, 1937}}
|complete      =
|open          = {{start date and age|August 18. 1938}}
|closed        =
|toll          = Varies $4.00–$26.00 (USD) or $5.00–$33.50 (CAD)<ref>{{citation | title = Thousand Islands Bridge Authority Toll Rate Classification Schedule | date = 1 April 2018 | url = http://www.tibridge.com/wp/?page_id=12 | access-date = 21 July 2018}}</ref>
|coordinates   = {{coord|44|20|50.71|N|75|59|0.6|W|display=inline,title|name=Thousand Islands Bridge}}
|lat           =
|long          =
}}
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:1000 Island International Bridge.JPG|left|thumb|200px|Thousand Island International Bridge, Canadian side, northbound.]] -->
The '''Thousand Islands International Bridge''' ({{langx|fr|Pont des Mille-îles}}) is an American-maintained international bridge system over the [[Saint Lawrence River]] connecting northern [[New York (state)|New York]] in the [[United States]] with southeastern [[Ontario]] in [[Canada]]. Constructed in 1937, with additions in 1959, the bridges span the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–US border]] in the middle of the [[Thousand Islands]] region. All bridges in the system carry two lanes of traffic, one in each direction, with pedestrian sidewalks.

==Structure==
The Thousand Islands International Bridge system is a series of five bridges<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tibridge.com/wp/?page_id=2 |title=Our History |publisher=Tibridge.com |access-date=2016-02-27}}</ref> spanning the St. Lawrence River. From south to north, they are:
# American mainland to [[Wellesley Island]] (main span<ref name=facts/>)
# Wellesley Island to [[Hill Island (Ontario)|Hill Island]] (international crossing)
# Hill Island to Constance Island
# Constance Island to Georgina Island
# Georgina Island to Canadian mainland

The system's southern end connects with [[Interstate 81]] and the northern end with [[Ontario Highway 401|Highway 401]] via [[Ontario Highway 137|Highway 137]]. There is also an interchange with the [[Thousand Islands Parkway]] on the Ontario side.

The actual international border bridge crossing is a set of two parallel {{convert|90|ft|m|abbr=on}} bridges between [[Wellesley Island]] in the United States and [[Hill Island (Ontario)|Hill Island]] in Canada.

==Administration==
The bridge system is administered by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, a [[New York State public benefit corporation]], whose seven board members (Four Americans and three Canadians) are appointed by the [[Jefferson County, New York#Government|Jefferson County Board of Legislators]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Authority Info|url=http://www.tibridge.com/wp/?page_id=16|website=Thousand Islands Bridge Authority|access-date=12 March 2017}}</ref> The Authority also maintains and administers [[Boldt Castle]].

Tolls are paid only by cash, [[E-ZPass]], or Commuter Discount Fare Trip Tags, which are prepaid for 72 trips (US$48.00). The Bridge Authority is a member of the multi-state [[E-ZPass]] consortium, and introduced [[electronic toll collection]] in June 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news03/thousand-islands-bridge-to-have-e-zpass-next-year--20180627|title = Bridge to accept EZPass}}</ref><ref name="wwnyezpass">{{cite web |title=E-ZPass comes to Thousand Islands Bridge |url=https://www.wwnytv.com/2019/06/27/e-zpass-comes-thousand-islands-bridge/ |website=WWNY 7News |publisher=WWNY-TV |access-date=2019-07-11 |date=2019-06-27}}</ref> No other ETC transponders are currently offered or accepted, although the Bridge Authority offers sales of transponders of Florida's [[SunPass]] for the convenience of Canadian travelers en route to Florida.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/traffic/article27259843.html|title=Florida's SunPass electronic toll device soon to be accepted in more states|work=miamiherald|access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref>

==Border crossing==
{{main|Thousand Islands Border Crossing}}

The Thousand Islands Border Crossing connects the towns of [[Alexandria Bay, New York]], and [[Ivy Lea, Ontario]], at the Thousand Islands Bridge.

It is the westernmost of the three St. Lawrence River crossings, and is very busy, with up to two-hour waits in the summer.<ref name="clui">{{Cite web |url=http://www.clui.org/section/united-divide-a-linear-portrait-usacanada-border-3 |title=Chapter 4: The Watery Boundary |website=United Divide: A Linear Portrait of the USA/Canada Border |publisher=The Center for Land Use Interpretation |publication-date=Winter 2015}}</ref> The US border station at Alexandria Bay is sometimes called Thousand Islands. The Canada border station of Lansdowne is sometimes called Gananoque, for the nearby [[Gananoque, Ontario|town]] where international ferry service is provided. These border stations are also responsible for inspecting vessel traffic between the countries. The US has seasonal vessel inspection stations on [[Heart Island]] and at [[Cape Vincent, New York]], and Canada has seasonal vessel inspection stations at [[Rockport, Ontario]], and [[Gananoque, Ontario]]. Both [[Canada Border Services Agency]] (CBSA) and the [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] (CBP) travel to selected ports and marinas on request for inspections.

==History==
The entire Thousand Islands Bridge system took sixteen months to build, beginning with a ground-breaking on April 30, 1937.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1937-05-01 |title=Ground Is Broken On Site Of Bridge Over St. Lawrence |pages=1 |work=The Post-Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-star-ground-is-broken-on-site-o/136502067/ |access-date=2023-12-08}}</ref> Completed ten weeks ahead of schedule, the bridges opened on August 18, 1938, with the ribbon cut by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1938-08-19 |title=Two Nations Hail Peace Bond In New Bridge Rite |pages=1 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-two-nations-hail/136525386/ |access-date=2023-12-09}}</ref> Its total cost was $3.05 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US-GDP|3.05|1937|fmt=c|r=2}} million in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).

Shortly after opening, the bridge displayed aerodynamic oscillation problems that were quickly corrected via structural upgrades.<ref>{{Cite book |title=In the Wake of Tacoma |isbn=0-7844-0542-5 |pages=59–60}}</ref>

In its first year of operation, over 118,000 vehicles crossed the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1939-07-10 |title=Bridges as Symbols |pages=6 |work=Star-Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-gazette-bridges-as-symbols/136525738/ |access-date=2023-12-09}}</ref> Today, annual crossings exceed 2,000,000 vehicles.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-12-06 |title=Upgrading 1000 Islands Bridge |language=en |work=Andre Construction |url=https://andre.construction/blogs/news/upgrading-1000-islands-bridge |access-date=2023-12-09}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:DSCN4277 1000islandsbridge e.jpg|Toll plaza on the Thousand Islands Bridge
File:Thousand Islands Bridge from Ivy Lea 2.jpg|Thousand Island bridge view from Ivy Lea
File:Thousand Islands Bridge.jpg|Thousand Islands Bridge
File:大桥 - panoramio (4).jpg|Thousand Islands Bridge from river
File:Thousand Islands Bridge plaque.jpg|The international boundary plaque on the bridge
File:Thousand Islands Bridge July 2015 002.jpg|Portion of ON-137 on Hill Island
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of bridges in Canada]]
*[[List of crossings of the Saint Lawrence River and the Great Lakes]]
*[[List of international bridges in North America]]
*[[Boldt Castle]] ''(landmark owned by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority)''
*[[Dewolf Point State Park]]
*[[Sewells Road Bridge]]
*[[Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge]]
*[[Ambassador Bridge]]
*[[Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tibridge.com/ Thousand Islands Bridge Authority] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040328025237/http://www.tibridge.com/ |date=2004-03-28 }}
*[http://www.empirestateroads.com/week/week65.html Aerial photos of the Thousand Island Bridge System]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070517201639/http://www.1000islandsphotoart.com/Albums/tabid/55/AlbumId/37/Default.aspx Ian Coristine's Thousand Islands Canadian Span & Area Gallery]
*[http://riverviewpictures.com/ Tim Kocher's Riverview Photography of Ships Navigating Under the American Span & Gallery]
* [http://archives.cbc.ca/clip.asp?IDClip=7050&IDCat=288&IDCatPa=254 CBC Digital Archives: Recording of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's address at the opening of the Thousand Islands Bridge]

{{Crossings navbox
|structure       = Bridges
|place           = [[St. Lawrence River]]
|bridge          = Thousand Islands Bridge
|bridge signs    = [[Image:I-81.svg|20px]] [[Image:Ontario 137.png|25px]]
|upstream        = [[Lake Ontario]]
|upstream signs  =
|downstream      = [[Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge]]
|downstream signs = [[Image:NY-812.svg|25px]] [[Image:Ontario 16.png|20px]]
}}

[[Category:Bridges completed in 1937]]
[[Category:Bridges on the Interstate Highway System]]
[[Category:Bridges over the Saint Lawrence River]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Leeds and Grenville United Counties]]
[[Category:Canada–United States bridges]]
[[Category:Interstate 81]]
[[Category:Open-spandrel deck arch bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:Open-spandrel deck arch bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges in Ontario]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges on the Interstate Highway System]]
[[Category:Road bridges in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Road bridges in Ontario]]
[[Category:Suspension bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:Suspension bridges in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Thousand Islands]]
[[Category:Toll bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:Toll bridges in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Tolled sections of Interstate Highways]]
[[Category:Transport in Leeds and Grenville United Counties]]
[[Category:Truss bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:Truss bridges in the United States]]