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| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date and Builder/Engineer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Caledonia Bridge
| Argyle Street Over Grand River | Caledonia: Haldimand County, Ontario | Concrete Rainbow Through Arch, Fixed | 1927 By Builder/Contractor: Randolph MacDonald Company of Toronto, Ontario |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Main Span Length | Structure Length | Roadway Width | Main Spans |
| 1984 | 72.58 Feet (22.12 Meters) | 700 Feet (213.4 Meters) | 42 Feet (12.8 Meters) | 9 |
The Caledonia Bridge is one of the most significant and
impressive bridges in Canada. The bridge is recognized as the longest rainbow arch bridge in Ontario.
Rainbow arch bridges are often also called bowstring through arch bridges. The
bridge's structural material is reinforced concrete.
The spans of this bridge are very large, compared to other rainbow arch bridges
in Ontario, and they tower over the average sized car. In addition to their
height, the Caledonia Bridge is equally impressive in terms of its quantity of spans, and its total length, which make this an
impressive and graceful structure without compare. The bridge also is unaltered
from its original design and thus has good historic integrity. It is a key
landmark for Caledonia and this heritage bridge should receive the highest
preservation priority.
The site of the current Caledonia Bridge has a long
history of being the location of an impressive and noteworthy bridge. In fact,
the existing bridge replaced a bridge which was itself rather significant, a
large, six example of a Whipple
Arch truss that was built in 1875. Each of those spans were 105 feet (32
Meters) in length. A large brick toll-keepers residence was also built near the
north end of this bridge. This toll house remains in place today. At least one
portion of this 1875 bridge collapsed due to overloading by a truck in 1925,
prompting an interest in seeking construction of a new bridge which would lead
to construction of the existing rainbow arch. This bridge was built in 1927 by
Randolph MacDonald Company of Toronto, Ontario. The engineer for the structure
was A. B. Crealock from Ontario Department of Public Highways.
The occasional news article has mentioned that there have been casual talks of demolishing and replacing this bridge. The thought that a bridge with this level of significance highly disturbing. This bridge should not be demolished, it should be restored.
More information is available in this book.
Click on a thumbnail or gallery name below to visit that particular photo gallery. If videos are available, click on a video name to view and/or download that particular video.
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Original / Full Size Gallery
Original / Full Size Photos |
For the best visual immersion and full detail, or for use as a desktop background, this gallery presents selected overview and detail photos for this bridge in the original digital camera resolution. For the best visual immersion and full detail, or for use as a desktop background, this gallery presents the photos for this bridge in the original digital camera resolution. |
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Structure Overview
Mobile Optimized Gallery |
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Browse Gallery With Popup Viewer |
|
Structure Details
Mobile Optimized Gallery |
A collection of detail photos that document the parts, construction, and condition of the bridge. View the photos for this bridge in a reduced size which is useful for mobile/smartphone users, modem
(dial-up) users, or those who do not wish to wait for the longer
download times of the full-size photos. Alternatively, view this photo gallery using a popup slideshow viewer (great for mobile users) by clicking the link below.
Browse Gallery With Popup Viewer |
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