In the 19th century, Québec City became increasingly isolated without a link by rail to the southern shore of the St. Lawrence. Begun in 1900, construction of the Pont de Québec was completed on September 20, 1917. Two major collapses occurred, in 1907 and 1916, disrupting progress and killing 76 and 13 men, respectively. Initially open only to trains and pedestrians, a carriageway was added in 1929.
At 549 metres, its cantilevered, cable-free central span was the longest in the world. This bridge is still considered a masterpiece of modern engineering. How well do you know this bridge?
Louis Lachance
The Quebec Bridge collapses during construction, killing 76 people and injuring many more, including several Mohawk workers from Kahnawake. An investigation ensued, which caused a great stir in the media. The disaster was attributed to fundamental design flaws in the plans and to the stubbornness of the construction supervisor, who pushed the workers to continue work despite the structural problems they were pointing out to him.
We use browser cookies to operate and enhance our services, as well as for advertising purposes. Your privacy is important to us. If you're not comfortable with the use of this information, please review your settings before continuing your visit. Personal Information and Privacy
Our website stores four types of cookies. At any time you can choose which cookies you accept and which you refuse. You can read more about what cookies are and what types of cookies we store in our Cookie Policy.
are necessary for technical reasons. Without them, this website may not function properly.
are necessary for specific functionality on the website. Without them, some features may be disabled.
allow us to analyse website use and to improve the visitor's experience.
allow us to personalise your experience and to send you relevant content and offers, on this website and other websites.