Kingston opens Waaban Crossing to the public
January 6, 2023
By CCE
It is reportedly North America's first IPD bridge.
Screencap from video by City of Kingston.
The Waaban Crossing, a bridge spanning the Cataraqui River in Kingston, Ont., recently opened to the public. Also known as the Kingston Third Crossing, it provides a vital transportation link between the city and the surrounding area—and is the largest infrastructure ever undertaken by the municipality.
The 1.2-km long cable-stayed bridge (pictured above during construction), with a main span of 330 m, includes lanes for traffic and public transit and paths for pedestrians and cyclists. It is expected to serve as a major transportation hub for the region, ease congestion, reduce travel times for commuters and boost the local economy by attracting new businesses and tourism to the area.
“This project is truly about the people,” says Philip Murray, senior vice-president (SVP) for Hatch, which provided design, engineering, project management and construction supervision for the Waaban Crossing. The design-build team also included Systra International Bridge Technologies (IBT) and Kiewit, using an integrated project delivery (IPD) model.
“We are proud to be part of the team delivering North America’s first IPD bridge,” says Zachary McGain, Canadian general manager (GM) for Systra IBT.
The public was invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 13 to officially celebrate the opening of the bridge.
