The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission officially announced that the second phase of a major modernization project at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge is underway, as part of an effort to improve efficiency at one of the busiest crossings along the U.S.-Canada border.
Phase Two of the project includes $90+ million in construction. Plans call for the replacement of 10 existing lanes for trucks and automobiles and the addition of five new lanes, a dedicated bus processing lane and processing area, and new support facilities for primary lane and secondary processing.
Sen. Charles Schumer was at the bridge Tuesday to announce the start of Phase Two construction. “This plaza modernization will make crossing the border easier and more efficient for hundreds of thousands of people who want to come here and contribute to the Western New York economy," Schumer said in a release.
The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, constructed in 1962, is the fourth-busiest commercial land crossing between the two countries. More than 2.6 million passenger vehicles and 800,000 commercial trucks traverse the span each year. The bridge crosses the Niagara River gorge and connects I-190 in Lewiston, N.Y. to Queenston, Ontario in Canada.
Phase One of the project was completed in 2016 at a cost of $21 million. The work process for the current phase will be handled in a staged approach in order to ensure 10 primary inspection lanes remain open throughout the process.
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Source: WBFO
