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Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date / Builder or Contractor |
| Caledonia Bridge | Argyle Street Over Grand River | Caledonia: Haldimand County, Ontario | Concrete Through Arch, Stationary | 1927 By: Randolph MacDonald Company of Toronto, Ontario |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Structure Length | Main Span Length | Bridge Width | Main Spans | Approach Spans |
| 1984 | 700 Feet (213.4 Meters) | 72.58 Feet (22.12 Meters) | 42 Feet (12.8 Meters) | 9 | None |
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.
More information is available in this book.
