3rd crossing over Cataraqui River connects Kingston after decades of waiting

Kingstonians are now connected in a whole new way as a third crossing over the Cataraqui River officially opened Tuesday afternoon.

The 1.2-kilometre span, named Waaban Crossing, is the largest infrastructure project and the "biggest ask for funding" made by the City of Kingston, according to Mayor Bryan Paterson.

Waaban is an Ojibwe word that means dawn or morning light.

"It's incredibly exciting. It's almost surreal, to be honest," said Paterson. "We've been talking about this project for so long and the community is abuzz."

The city, province and federal government each contributed $60 million toward the $180 million price tag for the crossing, the culmination of decades of discussion and debate dating back to at least Canada's centennial year, according to Paterson.

He said officials found a speech from 1967 where the mayor at that time was talking about the importance of adding another bridge.

"I think for the longest time, there was just a sense that we would talk about this bridge forever, but never actually be able to get it done," he added.

Councillor says crossing long overdue

For years the only links between downtown and the east end of Kingston were Highway 401 and the LaSalle Causeway, which led to an inconvenient commute for some, including those heading to the city's largest employer, CFB Kingston.

There were also practical issues, Paterson said. If one of the crossings was blocked, people worried about whether an ambulance could reach them in an emergency. Those fears, along with growth across the river, made the bridge a necessity, he said.

"If there's an accident on Highway 401, for example, it creates an immediate traffic chaos through Kingston on both sides," Paterson explained, noting the importance of highway traffic likely helped sell the project to other levels of government.

Sydenham District Coun. Conny Glenn said the connection is long overdue.

"This, in my opinion, improves health, safety, accessibility for the community," she said.

But not everyone on council wanted to see the bridge built.

Jeff McLaren, the councillor for Meadowbrook-Strathcona, made seven speeches against a third crossing, arguing it will cost taxpayers, and he believes the city was already well connected.

This week, McLaren said he's since gotten over his concerns.

"I'm past that now that it exists. We deal with it as it is," he said. "This was a pretty amazing project and it was finished on time and on budget."

Cadillac cruise across the bridge

Paterson said the city and contractors had to navigate "some crazy twists and turns" while securing funding, all while balancing environmental concerns and ensuring the sensitive area around the site was protected.

It's a "21st century" bridge, the mayor said, noting it includes lanes specifically for cyclists and pedestrians.

That multi-use pathway was opened up for a weekend in September and Paterson said 12,000 people came down to try it out.

"It's spectacular, you can see amazing views of the river you'd never otherwise be able to see," he said.

Paterson also said his office is already hearing from residents about their plans for ways to enjoy the new crossing, including one woman in particular who's in her late 90s.

"She has dreamed about this crossing her whole life," the mayor said. "She's got a red Cadillac. She's all ready to drive it across the bridge."