Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge 50th Anniversary

At today’s Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority Board of Directors meeting in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., bridge administration management presented an overview of community events and initiatives planned to celebrate the historic 50th anniversary milestone with the Sault communities, the United States and Canada. Some of the more significant events include:

50th Anniversary Bridge Lighting

Red and white industrial rope light strands will grace the Canadian arch portion of the bridge, while red, white, and blue strands will grace the U.S. double–arch portion of the bridge. These strands will be lit in a community celebration at dusk on Thursday, June 28.

The primary celebration site will be at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion in Sault, Ontario, with a secondary celebration site at the Sault Locks viewing area in Sault, Mich.

The public announcements, dignitary comments, and festivities leading up to and including the sequenced lighting of the rope light strands by the eight Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority board members will be broadcast live from the pavilion on radio station WSOO at about 9:45 p.m. There will be a bi–national fireworks display clearly visible from both Saults following the lighting ceremony.

October 31 Anniversary Date Celebration

It was around 3 p.m. on October 31, 1962, when the first paying customers rolled across the bridge. Since then, nearly 93 million vehicles and over $50 billion (U.S.) in trade have crossed. This anniversary date will be celebrated with free commemorative gifts given to bridge customers and a 50–year commemorative plaque unveiled at the toll plaza.

More information on the anniversary is available at the bridge Web site: www.saultbridge.com. As specific details are finalized for specific events and initiatives, more information will be posted online and announced through the media.