Blue Water Bridge, Twin-span international bridge in Port Huron, Michigan, United States, and Point Edward, Ontario, Canada
Blue Water Bridge connects Port Huron in Michigan with Point Edward in Ontario through two parallel steel structures stretching across 1900 meters. Each of the twin spans uses a combination of different construction techniques, with arches and truss elements visible throughout.
The original bridge opened in 1938 to create a permanent connection between the two countries. The second span was added in 1997 when growing trade traffic required more lanes.
The crossing began as a ferry service licensed in 1836, run first with a sailboat and later with a pony-powered vessel before steamers took over. The name Blue Water comes from the St. Clair River, and the twin spans are now a landmark for drivers between Port Huron and Point Edward. The US border station was upgraded in 2011 and the Canadian one in 2012.
Travelers cross the river on multilane roadways, with tolls collected on both spans. On the American side, Interstate 69 and Interstate 94 lead to the border, while Highway 402 continues on the Canadian side.
The spans are not identical twins: the 1938 span is a cantilever truss, while the 1997 span is a continuous bowstring arch. The older bridge carried two lanes and sidewalks until the walkways were removed in the 1980s for a third lane. Engineers had to keep the river navigable and clear the water by 150 ft (46 m), which ruled out Ralph Modjeski's first proposal for a suspension bridge.
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