CPR Bridge (Saskatoon)

The CPR Bridge is a Canadian railway bridge that spans the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

CPR Bridge
CPR Bridge over the South Saskatchewan River
Coordinates52°08′34″N 106°38′28″W
CarriesCanadian Pacific Railway tracks
CrossesSouth Saskatchewan River
LocaleSaskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Official nameCPR Bridge
Maintained byCity of Saskatoon
Preceded byUniversity Bridge
Followed byCircle Drive Bridge
Characteristics
DesignTruss bridge
MaterialSteel, wood, concrete
Total length341 metres (1,119 ft)
Height19.5 metres (64 ft)
Piers in water7
History
Construction end1908
OpenedJune 15, 1908
Location

The bridge was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1908 and is referred to by locals as the CPR Bridge or CP Railway Bridge, or simply the Train Bridge or Railway Bridge. The city's second rail bridge, to avoid confusion, is generally known as the Grand Trunk Bridge or CN Railway Bridge; that second bridge opened several months before the CPR Bridge. With the demolition of the city's original Traffic Bridge in 2016 (it was subsequently replaced by a new structure), the CPR Bridge became the second-oldest surviving bridge in the city.

The CPR Bridge is part of the CP rail line to its Sutherland rail yards. It is unusual for a rail bridge in that it includes a pedestrian walkway, which was added in 1909. It allows users to cross between the west side of the bridge, adjacent to the Meewasin Valley trails, and the east side, near Innovation Place Research Park. The bridge stands 19.5 metres (64 ft) above the river.[1]

Originally, the City of Saskatoon asked that the bridge be designed so that a single lane of vehicular traffic could be added later. However, this plan was abandoned and the University Bridge was instead built upstream.[2]

The bridge is referred to on page 1 of Farley Mowat's 1961 novella, Owls in the Family; Mowat refers to the bridge by a variation of its nickname, The Railroad Bridge.

See also

References
  1. Tank, Phil (2016-11-24). "Saskatoon's newest bridge rises in remote spot". The StarPhoenix. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  2. "The History of our Bridges" (PDF). City of Saskatoon. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
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