Skip to main content

J.C. Van Horne Bridge - New Brunswick and Quebec

Image
By

 


Serving as a vital link between northern New Brunswick and the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec, the J.C. Van Horne Bridge is a cantilever through truss bridge. Crossing the Restigouche River between Campbellton, New Brunswick, and the communities of Listuguj and Pointe-à-la-Croix in Quebec, the bridge is 804 meters (2,637 feet) long. The bridge consists of 4 deck truss approach spans on each side of the bridge and joined in the middle by a significant cantilever through truss structure. The cantilever through truss structure provides a clear span over the navigational channel of the Restigouche River below. The bridge carries an average of 12,500 vehicles daily, but there are not many roads or bridges that cross between this area of Quebec and New Brunswick. The next closest crossing of the Restigouche River is at the Matapedia Interprovincial Bridge, about 12 miles or 20 kilometers to the west near where NB 11 crosses into Quebec to meet QC 132.

Built between 1958 and 1961 and named for a New Brunswick politician by the name of Joseph Charles Van Horne, the J.C. Van Horne Bridge replaced a ferry service that ran across the Restigouche River between Campbellton and Pointe-à-la-Croix. The first ferry service between the two communities was established in 1855, taking passengers only. Later improvements to the ferry service allowed horses and buggies, and eventually, motorized vehicles, to cross. During the winters, the ferry was not in service, but there was an ice road in place across the Restigouche River to allow for crossing, with trees placed on either side of the ice road.

But by the 1950s, vehicular traffic began to increase for the ferry and a member of the Canadian Parliament representing New Brunswick, J.C. Van Horne, was tapped to make the case for a bridge to be constructed. Van Horne invited members of the federal and provincial governments to spend the day examining the traffic snarls and the length of time it took to get on a ferry. Van Horne selected July 26, 1957, for this day of observation, which happened to be the day of the St. Anne's Feast. People from all over the province came to attend the festival for the St. Anne's Day feast, so when the dignitaries arrived at the ferry crossing, there were long lines waiting at the slip. Legend has it that when the politicians asked "Is it always this busy"?,  Van Horne answered, "You should see it on Sundays"!

As a result of this visit, construction and funding for the J.C. Van Horne Bridge was authorized. The bridge was finally opened to traffic on October 15, 1961. Crossing back and forth between the provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec is much simpler and makes a world of difference for local residents and commerce. The bridge blends in well with the local scenery, I'd say. It's certainly a welcome sight in this otherwise quiet corner of eastern Canada and the North American continent.

A view of the J.C. Van Horne Bridge from the Restigouche River Experience Centre in Campbellton, New Brunswick. I've found some great views of the bridge from this area.

Crossing the J.C. Van Horne Bridge into New Brunswick. Signs lead you to the Appalachian Route, one of New Brunswick's signed scenic routes.

The J.C. Van Horne Bridge and Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance. The summit of Sugarloaf Mountain offers unparalleled views of the J.C. Van Horne Bridge, Campbellton, the Restigouche River and Chaleur Bay.

Crossing the J.C. Van Horne Bridge.

Entering New Brunswick from the J.C. Van Horne Bridge.

The nearby hills along the Restigouche River as seen from near the J.C. Van Horne Bridge.

The Campbellton Range Rear Lighthouse can be found near the J.C Van Horne Bridge, and I would guess you can get some pretty nice views of the bridge from the top of the lighthouse. While this current lighthouse was built in 1985 to incorporate a skeletal light tower into an octagonal lighthouse, the first lighthouse in Campbellton was built in 1879. For a while, the lighthouse also served as a hostel.

There is no fancy signage for the J.C. Van Horne Bridge itself, but since QC 132 is just a few miles over the bridge, you can follow the QC 132 signs to the bridge.


How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Government of Canada - J.C. Van Horne Bridge
Pictures and Photos of Canada - JC Van Horne Bridge New Brunswick
Rolf Hicker - JC Van Horne Bridge New Brunswick
Byron Christopher - Aerials: Campbellton & Area [2015]
Restigouche County New Brunswick, Canada Genealogy and History - A Van Horne Link
Labels:
Location: J.C. Van Horne Bridge, Canada

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rep. Sue Myrick's letter to Gov. Easley and Sect. Tippett published in Charlotte Observer

By
US. Representative Sue Myrick's (R-Charlotte) letter to North Carolina's Governor Mike Easley and NC Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett was published in the Friday, November 30th edition of the Charlotte Observer . Why are we delaying the completion of 1-485 in Charlotte again? I read in The Charlotte Observer how rising prices of materials are leading to the delay. Why didn't these same rising costs delay the loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington? Why are we building loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington before we complete the one in Charlotte? We were working on the one in Charlotte back when I was mayor. That was 20 years ago! ... Last I looked Charlotte was the largest city in the state. There seems to be no recognition of that fact in Raleigh. No recognition that we are at a standstill with traffic. No recognition that we have a traffic problem. Nor is there any recognition of the fact that the state DOT utterly botched up the southern leg of our yet to be completed ...
Post a Comment
Read more

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

By
The New River, which runs through New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, is best known for its dramatic rapids and whitewater adventures.  Those features begin at one of the river's widest points: Sandstone Falls. From the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk a look at just a small part of the falls. Though the vertical drop of roughly 20 feet is less than many other well-known waterfalls in the state, the falls' expanse, where the river approaches 1500 feet wide, makes Sandstone Falls impressive.   The Boardwalk Trail leads to a better vantage point of the overall falls. It is a great spot for photography, fishing, or laying out in the sun. Access to the falls is relatively easy: from Hinton, cross the New River on Highway 20, then turn right onto CR 26 and follow New River Road to the Sandstone Falls Parking Area. The Island Loop Trail is a short detour off the Boardwalk Trail and shows a quieter side of the area. At Sandstone Falls, you will find a variety of activities fr...
1 comment
Read more

I-90 in Albany, New York and the Berkshire Spur

By
Today's Albany Times Union has a segment in their weekly Getting There? column that explains some of the history behind how I-90 is designated in the Albany, NY area as well as the Berkshire Spur. The long and short of the article was that I-90 was originally designated on the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, but as free I-90 was built, the designation was moved onto the free portion of road. Additionally, there were talks in 1999 between state and federal officials about the possibility of moving I-90 back onto the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, while extending I-88 onto what we know as free I-90. There would have also had been an I-88/I-90 multiplex between Rotterdam and Albany as a result. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=916307
Post a Comment
Read more