The Champlain Bridge (also known as the Crown Point Bridge) was a
vehicular bridge in the United States that traversed Lake Champlain
between Crown Point, New York, and Chimney Point, Vermont.
It was one of only two bridges that connected New York to Vermont
by crossing Lake Champlain; all other transport across the lake
between the two states is by ferry. The bridge connected NY 185 in
New York to VT 17 in Vermont.
The half-mile, two-lane, continuous truss bridge was jointly owned
and maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation
and the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
It was opened to traffic in 1929 as a toll bridge; the tolls were
removed in 1987. The bridge was closed due to safety concerns in
October 2009. Removal of the Champlain Bridge was accomplished by
explosive demolition at 10:03 am on December 28, 2009.
The bridge crossed Lake Champlain at a point 12 miles (19 km) north
of Ticonderoga, New York, and 32 miles (51 km) south of Burlington,
Vermont.
It connected NY 185 in Crown Point, New York, to VT 17 in Chimney
Point, Vermont. The bridge was one of only two that links New York
and Vermont by crossing the lake; the other, located near the
Canada – United States border, carries U.S. Route 2 from Rouses
Point, New York, to Alburgh, Vermont.
Opening, repairs, and closure
The bridge opened to traffic on August 26, 1929. It is one of the
first continuous truss road bridges built in the nation, and
exhibits characteristics of both a through truss and deck truss
design.
The bridge was initially tolled; however, the tolls were removed on
September 22, 1987.
The bridge was rehabilitated in 1991. Work performed at that time
included the replacement of the deck and railings, the repainting
of the steel trusses, and the repairing of the bridge piers.
In the mid-2000s, the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) launched
the planning process for a project that would result in either the
rehabilitation or replacement of the Champlain Bridge.
At the time, the projected start date for the project was 2012.
However, in 2009, an inspection performed on the bridge as part of
the planning process revealed that two of the bridge's support
piers were not structurally sound. As a result, the bridge was
closed to all traffic on October 16, 2009.
NYSDOT Regional Structural Engineer Thomas Hoffman commented that
"Under certain conditions we were afraid the bridge could fail
abruptly." Prior to the closing, the bridge had already been
reduced to one lane for structural steel repairs.
Effects of the closure
The closure of the bridge has caused economic hardship for
commuters and local businesses as traffic is greatly reduced on
both sides of the lake.
Two business that have seen more activity are private ferry
services; one about 15 miles (24 km) south of the bridge has been
overwhelmed, while the other service (about 25 miles (40 km) north
of the bridge) has expanded its hours of operation.
Even with expanded hours, and New York state subsidies, the two
private services cannot meet demand. The state is exploring adding
a ferry at the bridge location, and the Basin Harbor Club has made
its tour boat available to ferry pedestrians. Since the lake
freezes in winter, an ice-breaker would be required to keep the
ferry services running. As of December 17, 2009, the Ticonderoga
Ferry has been forced to suspend service due to icy
conditions.
Demolition and replacement
On November 9, 2009, officials in Vermont and New York announced
that the bridge was beyond repair and would have to be demolished.
Removal of the existing bridge was accomplished by explosive
demolition, and was originally scheduled for December 23,
2009.
On December 22, officials moved the demolition date to December 28
as a result of the formation of ice on Lake Champlain and cold
weather in the area.
Both factors led to delays in installing the necessary explosives
for demolition. The bridge was demolished on the morning of
December 28, 2009.
The bridge will be replaced by a new span that will be built in its
place. On December 12, 2009, NYSDOT and VTrans presented six design
concepts for the new structure, one of which, the Modified Network
Tied Arch, has since been recommended as a replacement by the
Public Advisory Committee.