Lake Erie bridge (Ohio -> Ontario?)

[6a]

The 45-mile bridge would run along a geological shelf in what is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, but it would represent an engineering and logistical challenge costing billions of dollars to complete.

(click for the whole story)

Now, I have no illusions about this being a reality in my lifetime, but how cool would this be?  I imagine it would have to be high in spots to accommodate ship traffic, and would surely be a hoot to drive in the winter.  The first I heard of it was part of a passing reference having to do with Ohio's incoming governor killing the planned high speed rail project.  I thought it was political theatrics (I mean, who really plans a bridge across Lake Erie?) until I saw this article.  Anyone else heard anything about this?

[Stephane Dumas]

It would be fun to see and I hope it'll be a reality in my lifetime

there was some other projects suggested in the past like this one mentionned at http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix71.html#fn

A 1970s Ohio/Ontario plan proposed a 47-mile bridge over Lake Erie, from I-271 in Willowick, Ohio, to Port Stanley, Ontario, and contining as a freeway to the Route 401 near London.

The single-span bridge would have carried four lanes, with two different suspension bridge crossings of shipping channels. The cost estimate in the 1970s was about $1 billion, and the toll would have been large. The above alignment was the most direct of three studied; the others slanted to the east and west, the longest one about 70 miles.

Meanwhile, we could also try for high-speed ferry linking Cleveland and Erie, PA with Ontario.

[JREwing78]

It's an interesting thought exercise, but I'd be in shock if there was any real feasibility to this plan.

[vdeane]

I can only imagine what it would be like in winter.

[Stephane Dumas]

I can only imagine what it would be like in winter.

We could use the Confederation Bridge who link New Brunswick with Prince Edward Island as a reference, it's the longest bridge over icy waters (there a picture showing the bridge in winter at http://www.ec.gc.ca/glaces-ice/default.asp?lang=En&n=B6ABBF2E-1 )

EDIT: I forgotted to mention one more reason to see the Lake Erie bridge made, just to tease the current owner of the Ambassador bridge Matty Maroun and saluting him with the middle finger.

[oscar]

Meanwhile, we could also try for high-speed ferry linking Cleveland and Erie, PA with Ontario.

Last I heard, the Federal Maritime Administration was trying to unload the two ferry vessels it repossessed from the bankrupt Hawaii Superferry.  Those vessels had a similar design to the existing Lake Express ferry across Lake Michigan, and the defunct Rochester-Toronto ferry across Lake Ontario.  The Superferry vessels, unlike the Lake Express ferry, can handle trucks as well as passengers and passenger vehicles (though I'm not sure how much room there'd be for 18-wheeler-size trucks, which aren't common in Hawaii). 

[Stephane Dumas]

Last I heard, the Federal Maritime Administration was trying to unload the two ferry vessels it repossessed from the bankrupt Hawaii Superferry.  Those vessels had a similar design to the existing Lake Express ferry across Lake Michigan, and the defunct Rochester-Toronto ferry across Lake Ontario.  The Superferry vessels, unlike the Lake Express ferry, can handle trucks as well as passengers and passenger vehicles (though I'm not sure how much room there'd be for 18-wheeler-size trucks, which aren't common in Hawaii).  

It might worth to try.  And on a unrelated note, there a revival idea of a Lake Erie ferry then I mentionned at https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3983.0

EDIT: I spotted a link about the Geomorphology of Lake Erie http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/greatlakes/lakeerie_cdrom/html/e_gmorph.htm
Another idea for a span location, would be along the island in the western part of the Lake, with spans linking the islands from Sandusky to Leamington in Ontario.

[The Premier]

I can only imagine what it would be like in winter.

It would probably not be pretty. But yet its a small price to pay to go to Canada much quicker than Detroit or Buffalo.

We could use the Confederation Bridge who link New Brunswick with Prince Edward Island as a reference

Or the Golden Gate Bridge or even the Bay Bridge in California. If they can build it over a long distance, why can't we?

[TheStranger]

Or the Golden Gate Bridge or even the Bay Bridge in California. If they can build it over a long distance, why can't we?

Those two bridges combined are only 7 miles long, much shorter than what is being proposed here.

[Revive 755]

After reading the thread on the bridges in China, it seems to me that China would have built a bridge across Lake Erie already.

[Stephane Dumas]

Or the Golden Gate Bridge or even the Bay Bridge in California. If they can build it over a long distance, why can't we?

Don't forget the Lake Pontchartrain causeway near New Orleans with its 38 miles length

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

From the MTR archives, almost 10 years to the date of this thread.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.transport.road/browse_thread/thread/91a513b87d978286/70c4a04e1f6cd190?lnk=gst&q=%22Lake+Erie+Bridge%22#70c4a04e1f6cd190

[MDOTFanFB]

If you look carefully on the map on the first message, you will notice that a curve in the bridge is within Pennsylvania's territorial water boundaries!

[froggie]

Don't forget the Lake Pontchartrain causeway near New Orleans with its 38 miles length

...in an area that doesn't have to deal with lake ice or winter weather on a regular basis...

And the Causeway is 24 miles in length, not 38.  That's barely half the length of what's proposed here.

[vdeane]

Not to mention lake effect snow.  The Thruway gets hit very hard every year along Lake Erie, and this bridge is on the lake.

[PAHighways]

Waterspouts are also a phenomena common to the Great Lakes.

[Mr_Northside]

Yeah... I can't imagine ever seeing something like this in my lifetime. Maybe if transportation budgets were overflowing with money, AND the cities in the south Lake Erie region (I'm including Pittsburgh & Youngstown in this case...) were still industrial powerhouses... maybe.

Though, hypothetically, I'm curious as to what kind of tolls one would have to pay to cross a bridge like that.  The NY Thruway tolls, Niagara Crossings, and extra mileage (depending on how much time is worth to ya) still might not make it worth it. (Especially if your Canadian destination is Hamilton and East...)

[froggie]

Not to mention lake effect snow.  The Thruway gets hit very hard every year along Lake Erie, and this bridge is on the lake.

Lake-effect snow is actually a land phenomenon, not really something that happens out on the water.

[InterstateNG]

Not to mention lake effect snow.  The Thruway gets hit very hard every year along Lake Erie, and this bridge is on the lake.

Lake-effect snow is actually a land phenomenon, not really something that happens out on the water.

Not necessarily, check out the radar out of Chicago today.  Granted, the geometry is totally different, but the proposed location actually could get lake effect off of two lakes, Huron and Erie, given the proper fetch.

They'd probably just close the bridge if conditions warrant.

[vdeane]

Same thing happens in the tug hill region.  The snow comes from a storm that moves directly over the center of the lake.

[triplemultiplex]

Eh, Lake Erie just isn't a large enough obstacle to warrant such a crossing, even when the youngest of us are grizzled old timers.  There's nothing on the Ontario side to justify it.  The "Golden Horseshoe" is the big traffic draw in Ontario, so it's actually not that much out of the way to go through Buffalo/Niagara.

[SteveG1988]

since this is hypothetical, i would have the following layout of the bridge.

Leaving ohio you will slowly rise up onto a bridge like the confederation bridge in canada, for the close to shore  pleasure craft. At the curve point on that map i would have it return to normal level and a man made island that is used as a staging area for bridge repair work and a rest area. It would contain all the maintence facilities for the span, the snow plows, etc. Upon leaving the man made island it would rise up again to a bridge similar to the confederation bridge, but with cable stay sections to allow for larger ship traffic, and to provide a "beauty" section of the bridge for post cards, and to please people who want a unique span. it would gently return to land in stages to prevent a slippery approach due to ice build up, allowing cars going up it to go slower, preventing spinning tires. On the road itself i would propose higher than normal side walls on the four lane highway, preventing cross winds and snow build ups, by using aerodynamic farings to blow the snow over the roadway using the wind. The deck will have the anti freezing system like the new I-35W bridge in Minnieapolis has. Preventing ice and snow build up, with the staged approach being a backup system. Speed Limits will be at most 100 KM/62 MPH on the span, if not 80KM/50 mph for safety. Tolls would be roughly 40 USD and CAD to cross it one way, with no adjustment for conversion rates. There would be a round trip discount if you can show your receipt taking the round trip price down to 70 USD if you return within 24 hours.

Just a rambling of my imigination, i apologize if it is too grand of a project for what they propose.
Some if it is based off other large bridge projects, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Confederation bridge, Lake pontrachain Causeway, etc.

[Stephane Dumas]

I like your idea SteveG1988   Also the articificial island could also be the location for the US Customs office depending of the location of the man made island.

[SteveG1988]

The customs office would not work out there, i thought about it and it would not work for security purposes, having it before and after the span would make sense, allowing for a larger facility for the traffic and less people stuck in the middle of the lake if a storm were to happen.

[Sykotyk]

less people stuck in the middle of the lake if a storm were to happen.

Exactly. That would be trouble.