Commercial traffic up on International Bridge

NEWS RELEASE

INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE AUTHORITY

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The International Bridge Administration today announced that one-way traffic crossings of the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie totaled 105,165 for the month of April 2017.

An analysis of traffic statistics for the month reveals the following:

Commercial traffic volumes continue to show positive growth, increasing 17 per cent from February to March of 2017, which is a 4 per cent gain as compared to the prior year. Commercial revenue continued to climb 6.5 per cent in April of 2017 compared to 2016, and represents 45.4 per cent of the total earned toll revenue of $1.9 million USD.

Bridge traffic also continues to increase toward normal summer volumes, with bridge traffic for April totaling 105,165 vehicles. This is an increase of 3.2 per cent from March to April 2017. Total traffic remains down 2 per cent as compared 2016, a difference of 2,173 crossings. Bridge revenue maintains steady growth due to the support of commercial traffic crossings, increasing 2.0 per cent as compared to last year.

The International Bridge self-funds operations with toll revenue. Operations include the bridge structure, the Bridge Authority plaza, all maintenance facilities, and all ongoing building support costs and maintenance for the Canada Border Services Agency facility.

As for the construction of the Canadian Plaza Redevelopment Project, it is a Canadian capital project which is financed separately by The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (FBCL), through the Canadian Gateways and Border Crossings Fund.

Traffic for the calendar year to date at April 30, 2017, is 388,927. This represents a year to date decrease of 3 per cent

. The bridge has processed 98.8 million bridge crossings since 1962.