From the 1880’s til the 1960’s the only forms of transportation across the St. Mary’s River, between the two Saults, were ferries and the railroad bridge. The inconvenience and delays of those days have been eliminated, thanks to the International Bridge. SAULT STE. MARIE “Rapids Of Sainte Mary” INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE [Illustration: The bridge site] Nearly a decade of engineering study, legislative action in Lansing, Washington, Toronto, and Ottawa, and the sale of bonds to finance the project preceded construction of the bridge. Michigan Governor G. Mennen Williams and Ontario Treasurer James N. Allen were the main participants in groundbreaking ceremonies for construction of the bridge on September 16, 1960. [Illustration: Bridge piers under construction] Dr. Carl Gronquist of the consulting engineering firm, Steinman, Boynton, Gronquist and Birdsall, designed the two-mile long bridge supported on 62 piers that would cost $20,000,000. The Michigan State Highway Department agreed to construct the Michigan approach to the bridge, a project costing very close to $4,000,000, which was tied into the Interstate Freeway system and financed 90 percent by federal funds. The International Bridge Authority then proposed a bond issue of $16,250,000 to raise the remainder of the money. The issue was divided into $8,400,000 in Series A bonds to be sold on the New York market, and $7,850,000 in Series B bonds, all to be retired within 40 years from bridge revenues. To facilitate financing, the Province of Ontario bought the entire Series B bonds in one sale and thus guaranteed a quick sale for the Series A bonds in the United States bond market. The International Bridge was opened to traffic on October 31, 1962. [Illustration: Bridge span under construction] Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario [Illustration: The completed bridge] THE BRIDGE VIEW Located to the west of the locks and running parallel with the railroad bridge, the International Bridge “takes off” from the U.S. side near the campus of Lake Superior State University which overlooks the area from the site of the former Fort Brady. As you enter the first archway, the world famous Soo Locks are visible below. Further on, you’ll pass the International Boundary at the middle of the Bridge. Off to the west you’ll see a series of 16 gates. These gates control the water flow from Lake Superior down to the other connecting Great Lakes. The management of this water flow is operated by the International Joint Commission which makes determinations of gate activity based on the various lake levels.