Kichi Sipi Bridge, Transportation bridge in northern Manitoba, Canada.
Kichi Sipi Bridge is a 260-metre, four-span road bridge over a deep channel of the Nelson River south of Cross Lake, Manitoba. It carries Provincial Road 374 and is the second longest road bridge in Manitoba, built of concrete and steel.
The Kichi Sipi Bridge opened on December 16, 2002, after the Cross Lake Indian Band sued over the lack of an all-weather crossing of the Nelson River. The claim stemmed from the 1977 Northern Flood Agreement, which required an all-weather road connecting Cross Lake to the Jenpeg access road. The Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled that one or both governments were liable for damages until a bridge was built.
The name comes from Cree language words meaning Great River, reflecting the deep connection between the Nelson River and the indigenous communities who have lived along its banks for generations.
The bridge carries Provincial Road 374 across the Nelson River south of Cross Lake, linking the Cross Lake community road network with the Jenpeg access road. It is a road crossing with no visitor facilities, so it is seen by driving across or stopping at the roadside. Winter conditions affect travel, so check road status beforehand.
The bridge was built at a cost of C$25,000,000 and opened on December 16, 2002, as the third public highway bridge in northern Manitoba built because of lawsuits under the 1977 Northern Flood Agreement. The other two are the PR 391 crossing over the Footprint River and the PR 373 crossing over the Minago River.
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