Baudette–Rainy River International Bridge
Baudette – Rainy River International Bridge | |
|---|---|
 International Bridge seen from the Canadian side | |
| Coordinates | 48°43′09″N 94°35′25″W / 48.7192°N 94.5903°W |
| Carries | 2 lanes of  MN 72 and  Highway 11, pedestrian traffic |
| Crosses | Rainy River |
| Locale | Rainy River, Ontario |
| Owner | Ontario and Minnesota |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | steel truss |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 391 metres (1,283 ft) |
| Width | 7.3 metres (24 ft) |
| No. of spans | 6 |
| Clearance above | 4.5 metres (15 ft) (above road deck) |
| Clearance below | Rainy River |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Barnett-McQueen Ltd |
| Construction start | 1958 |
| Construction end | 1960 |
| Opened | July 30, 1960 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | 1960-1988 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Baudette – Rainy River International Bridge is an international bridge connecting Rainy River, Ontario, Canada, with Baudette, Minnesota, United States, across the Rainy River.
The bridge marks the western terminus of Ontario Highway 11 (as Atwood Avenue) and the northern terminus of Minnesota State Highway 72 (International Drive). The bridge is jointly owned by Ontario and Minnesota, and is managed by MTO (with funding from the Government of Canada) and MnDOT, respectively.[1] The bridge carries 2 lanes of traffic and a 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) sidewalk for pedestrian traffic.[2] Customs plazas are located on both sides of the bridge.
Downriver from the bridge is Baudette-Rainy River Rail Bridge, built in 1901 for Ontario and Rainy River Railway and now used by CN Rail.
Replacement
[edit]A new replacement bridge was completed and opened to traffic in October 2020.[3] Destruction of the old structure was expected to be complete by fall 2021. A virtual celebration of the bridge's completion took place on 28 October, 2020.[4]
Border crossing
[edit]The Baudette–Rainy River Border Crossing connects the cities of Baudette, Minnesota and Rainy River, Ontario at the Baudette–Rainy River International Bridge. The Port of Entry was established in 1960 when the International Bridge was completed. Prior to 1960, the cities were connected via point-to-point ferry service as well as a railroad bridge.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Ontario Provincial Bridges - North Western Region" (PDF). Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "The Baudette - Rainy River International Bridge" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. May 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Baudette / Rainy River International Bridge Replacement". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Virtual Celebration: Oct. 28, 2020". Baudette / Rainy River International Bridge Replacement. MNDOT. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- 1960 establishments in Minnesota
- 1960 establishments in Ontario
- 2020 establishments in Minnesota
- 2020 establishments in Ontario
- Baudette, Minnesota
- Bridges completed in 1960
- Bridges completed in 2020
- Buildings and structures in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota
- Buildings and structures in Rainy River District
- Canada–United States bridges
- Road bridges in Ontario
- Road bridges in Minnesota
- Steel bridges in the United States
- Steel bridges in Canada
- Transport in Rainy River District
- Transportation in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota
- Truss bridges in Canada
- Truss bridges in the United States