| 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 |
| 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). 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.
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