The 'Chaudière Bridge' (French: ''Pont de la Chaudière'') crosses the
Ottawa River about 1 km (0.6 mile) west of
Parliament Hill, joining the communities of
Gatineau, Quebec and
Ottawa, Ontario, linking Rue Eddy in the
Hull sector of Gatineau and
Booth Street in Ottawa. The bridge actually consists of multiple spans, crossing over Chaudière and Victoria Islands.
The bridge passes through the
E.B. Eddy complex adjacent to the
Chaudière Falls, from which the bridge gets its name.
History
It is the oldest bridge in the
National Capital Region and was originally called "Union Bridge". It was first constructed in 1828 by
Colonel By to link Wrightville (later renamed Hull) with the construction site of the
Rideau Canal. While the main span was a wooden arch, stone arches were also used for the smaller spans. This bridge collapsed in 1836. A ferry service was temporary used until a new bridge was completed in 1844. This was a suspension bridge until 1889 when it was again rebuilt using steel truss construction. The current bridge was built by the
Dominion Bridge Company in 1919.
External links
★
Transport Canada
★
University of Ottawa