2016-12-03 Sat

The largest cantilever bridge in the world, the Quebec Bridge, was finally opened to public on 3rd December 1917.

This car, rail and pedestrian bridge stretching over more than 1,800 feet between its main piers connect Sainte-Foy and Levis over the St. Lawrence River in Canada. This engineering marvel was completed in 1917 at the cost of $22 million! But did you know that the project failed twice, at the cost of 88 lives, and took over 30 years to complete?

The story begins in 1887 when the need was felt to increase business traffic in the area by some entrepreneurs from Quebec City. No work of fiction could ever match the epic story of this bridge's construction.

The Quebec Bridge Company selected Theodore Cooper, a well-known American bridge designer, as the project’s consulting engineer. The contract was given to the Phoenix Bridge Company and Theodore endorsed the Phoenix design though he extended the cantilever span from 490 metres to 550 metres. This “best and cheapest plan" came at a very high cost of 75 lives!

During its construction in 1907, a slight misalignment of the two girders was ignored and the work continued. But on one fateful day, the rivets snapped and the Quebec Bridge plunged over 150 feet taking with it the lives of 75 workers! It took 2 years to clear the debris and later the Canadian government took over the bridge project.

The bridge was rebuilt with much heavier cantilever arms but yet again a calamity struck and the bridge suffered a second disaster in 1916. The new centre span that was being hoisted into position fell into the river, killing 13 men!

Finally, the bridge was completed in 1917 and opened for public on 3rd December 1917. Two years later the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) officially opened it 22 August 1919 and along with it a memorial to the men lost in the Quebec Bridge Collapse was opened.

A commemorative stamp of 12 cents was issued in 1929 by Canada under King George V. Further, a 45 cents stamps was issued by Canada Post Corporation in 1995.

The bridge was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995 and to this day is still the longest cantilever span in the world. Today the Quebec Bridge is yet again included in the top 10 endangered places and worse losses list 2015 by the Heritage Canada the National Trust.

Let’s hope it stays up there and required measures are taken to prevent further losses.