Deh Cho Bridge, Cable bridge across Mackenzie River in Fort Providence, Canada

The Deh Cho Bridge is a 1.1 km cable-stayed and truss bridge over the Mackenzie River on Highway 3 near Fort Providence. Its central cable-stayed section has four red steel towers, each with an A-shaped mast and diagonal cables running to the deck. Eight concrete piers, built to break up spring ice, support the structure, which has two lanes and a 190 m main span.

The project took shape in the early 2000s to solve transportation challenges in an isolated region and was built between 2008 and 2012. Its completion marked a turning point, as it created the first permanent crossing where only seasonal passages had existed before.

The bridge connects northern communities throughout the year, replacing the seasonal ferry and ice road system that once controlled how people moved across the river. This shift changed daily life in the region, as travel is now possible anytime without seasonal interruptions.

Tolls apply only to commercial vehicles travelling north that weigh over 4,500 kg; private cars cross free. The deck carries two lanes, with 7.4 m of clearance overhead and 27.2 m above the navigation channel. The eight piers are shaped to break up spring ice floes on the Mackenzie.

The eight piers are shaped to break up ice during the Mackenzie River's spring breakup. In August 2023 a suspension cable on the southeast side failed from a metallurgical defect, closing the bridge to one lane with load limits until repairs were finished and both lanes reopened in February 2025.