DOCSLIB.ORG

NIAGARA FALLS BRIDGE COMMISSION Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds, Series 2018 (Taxable)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
NIAGARA FALLS BRIDGE COMMISSION Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds, Series 2018 (Taxable) $70,990,000* NIAGARA FALLS BRIDGE COMMISSION Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds, Series 2018 (Taxable) SUPPLEMENT DATED JUNE 5, 2018 TO PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT DATED MAY 30, 2018 The information provided below supplements the Preliminary Official Statement referred to above (the “Preliminary Official Statement”) offering the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission’s Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds, Series 2018 (Taxable) (the “Offered Bonds”). The Preliminary Official Statement is hereby supplemented, revised and amended as follows: 1. The information contained under the heading “INTRODUCTION – Reserve Account” is hereby deleted and replaced as follows: Reserve Account At the issuance of the Series 2018 Bonds, amounts will be on deposit in the Reserve Account in an amount equal to the Reserve Account Requirement (which may include a surety bond). The moneys on credit to the Reserve Account will be used and applied solely for the purpose of paying the principal of and interest and premium, if any, on all Series of Bonds Outstanding under the Resolution and any Parity Indebtedness including the Series 2018 Bonds, whether at maturity or upon mandatory or extraordinary redemption or purchase thereof from moneys credited to the Bond Retirement Account, and will be so used and applied whenever there are insufficient moneys on credit to the Interest Account, Principal Account and Bond Retirement Account for such purposes. See “SECURITY FOR THE SERIES 2018 BONDS— Reserve Account” herein. 2. The information contained under the heading “SECURITY FOR THE SERIES 2018 BONDS — Reserve Fund” is hereby supplemented by deleting the first paragraph thereunder and replacing same as follows: Reserve Account At the issuance of the Series 2018 Bonds, amounts will be on deposit in the Reserve Account in an amount equal to the Reserve Account Requirement (which may include a surety bond). The moneys on credit to the Reserve Account will be used and applied solely for the purpose of paying the principal of and interest and premium, if any, on all Series of Bonds Outstanding under the Resolution and any Parity Indebtedness including the Series 2018 Bonds, whether at maturity or upon mandatory or extraordinary redemption or purchase thereof from moneys credited to the Bond Retirement Account, and will be so used and applied whenever there are insufficient moneys on credit to the Interest Account, Principal Account and Bond Retirement Account for such purposes. NIAGARA FALLS BRIDGE COMMISSION * Preliminary, subject to change. PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT DATED MAY 30, 2018 NEW ISSUE – Book-Entry Only Rating: S&P “A+” $70,990,000* NIAGARA FALLS BRIDGE COMMISSION Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds, Series 2018 (Taxable) Dated: Date of Delivery Due: October 1, as shown on inside cover In the opinion of Bond Counsel to the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, interest on the Series 2018 Bonds is not excludable from gross income for United States federal income tax purposes and is includable in taxable income for purpose of New York State, New York City and the City of Yonkers personal income taxes. Other than the foregoing, Bond Counsel expresses no opinion as to the consequences of the ownership of, accrual or receipt of interest on, and the disposition of, the Series 2018 Bonds under the laws of the United States, the Federal Government of Canada, the State of New York, the Province of Ontario, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing. See “TAX MATTERS” herein. The Series 2018 Bonds are being issued by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission (the “Commission”), an instrumentality created pursuant to Chapter 490 of the Seventy-Fifth Congress, Third Session, as amended (the “Act”), and charged with the authority to construct, acquire and operate bridges traversing the Niagara River. Pursuant to the Act, the Commission owns and operates three bridge spans across the Niagara River—the Rainbow Bridge, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge—and the approaches and appurtenant toll collection, customs, immigration and concession facilities related thereto (collectively, the “Toll Bridge System”). The Series 2018 Bonds are being issued to (i) finance the majority of the costs of the Project as described under the caption “THE CAPITAL PROGRAM” herein, (ii) finance a deposit to meet the reserve account requirement as described in Reserve Account section (which may include a surety bond), and (iii) pay certain costs of issuance relating to the Series 2018 Bonds. See “PLAN OF FINANCING” herein. The Series 2018 Bonds are payable solely from and secured by (i) the proceeds of the Series 2018 Bonds, (ii) subject to the parity lien of the Commission’s outstanding Series 1993A Bonds and Series 2014A Bonds (defined herein) and any additional bonds that may be issued, the Net Revenues (defined herein) of the Toll Bridge System, and (iii) certain funds and accounts established by an Amended and Restated Toll Bridge System Bond Resolution adopted by the Commission on February 25, 2010, and a supplemental resolution of the Commission adopted by the Commission on May 14, 2018 (collectively, the “Resolutions”), as further described herein. See “SECURITY FOR THE SERIES 2018 BONDS” herein. Interest on the Series 2018 Bonds will be fixed at the rates set forth on the inside front cover of this Official Statement. Interest on the Series 2018 Bonds is payable on October 1, 2018, and semiannually thereafter on each April 1 and October 1 as more fully described herein. The Series 2018 Bonds are issuable in the denominations of $5,000 or any integral multiple thereof. The Series 2018 Bonds will be issued in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) under the book-entry-only system maintained by DTC. So long as Cede & Co. is the registered owner of the Series 2018 Bonds, principal and premium, if any, and interest on the Series 2018 Bonds will be payable by Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (the “Trustee”) to DTC, which will in turn remit such payments to its participants for subsequent disbursement to beneficial owners of the Series 2018 Bonds, as more fully described herein. The Series 2018 Bonds are subject to optional and mandatory sinking fund redemption prior to maturity. The Series 2018 Bonds are subject to extraordinary redemption, on the dates and in the amounts described herein. See “DESCRIPTION OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS” herein. NEITHER THE FAITH AND CREDIT NOR THE TAXING POWER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO OR ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING ARE PLEDGED FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF OR PREMIUM, IF ANY, OR INTEREST ON THE SERIES 2018 BONDS, AND NO HOLDER OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPEL THE EXERCISE OF THE TAXING POWER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO OR ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DEFAULT WITH RESPECT TO THE SERIES 2018 BONDS. THE SERIES 2018 BONDS ARE NOT A DEBT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO OR ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING. NEITHER THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO NOR ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING IS LIABLE FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS, NOR ARE THE SERIES 2018 BONDS PAYABLE OUT OF ANY FUNDS OTHER THAN THOSE OF THE COMMISSION PLEDGED FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD READ THIS OFFICIAL STATEMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING APPENDICES IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION. The Series 2018 Bonds are offered for delivery when, as and if issued by the Commission and received by the Underwriter, subject to prior sale, withdrawal or modification of the offer without notice, and subject to delivery of the approving opinion of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, New York, New York, Bond Counsel. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the Commission by Sullivan Mahoney LLP, Canadian Counsel, and Hodgson Russ LLP, United States Counsel. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the Underwriter by Nixon Peabody LLP, New York, New York. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the Trustee by Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, Syracuse, New York. Roosevelt & Cross Incorporated is acting as municipal advisor to the Commission in connection with the offering of the Series 2018 Bonds. It is expected that the Series 2018 Bonds in book-entry form will be available for delivery through the facilities of DTC in New York, New York on or about June 27, 2018. Citigroup June ___, 2018 This Preliminary Official Statement and the information contained herein are subject to completion or amendment without notice. Under no circumstances shall this Preliminary Official Statement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of solicitation or the sell to Preliminary this shall circumstances no Under offer an constitute Statement Official This Preliminary notice. without amendment or completion to are subject herein contained the information and Statement Official such jurisdiction. prior of any or qualification under the securities to registration be unlawful laws solicitation or sale would these securities jurisdiction in any in which such offer, sale of, nor shall there be any to buy, an offer * Preliminary, subject to change. $70,990,000∗ Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds, Series 2018 (Taxable) $14,060,000* Serial Bonds Maturity Principal Interest (October 1)* Amount* Rate Yield CUSIP No.(1) 2020 $ 1,365,000 2021 1,405,000 2022 1,450,000 2023 1,500,000 2024 1,550,000 2025 1,605,000 2026 1,665,000 2027 1,725,000 2028 1,795,000 $10,105,000* __% Term Bonds due October 1, 2033*, Yield ___% CUSIP No.(1) _____ $12,405,000* __% Term Bonds due October 1, 2038*, Yield ___% CUSIP No.(1) _____ $34,420,000* __% Term Bonds due October 1, 2048*, Yield ___% CUSIP No.(1) _____ ∗ Preliminary, subject to change.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Official Road Map of Ontario
    5 Kilometres 0 Miles 5 5 kilomètres 0 milles 5 © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2016 © Imprimeur de la Reine pour l’Ontario, 2016 18 FORT mn Niagara-On-The-Lake GEORGE D LAKE ONTARIO E R 87 OR SH hg (LAC ONTARIO) KE 93 LA hg55 Youngstown mn EAST & WEST LINE 2 87 1 18F Virgil hg D po ST F R NE RD NE ST. CATHARINES RD Y OUR RD E W LI N K W P A 3 RD E LINE R RT F N O 48 TOW o M N SH u IA W O KE I ION r L hg R T LA G S EL E SI LA S E S N A I L 83 86 V KE E AN I MA LINE 5 RD R C CES hg R C ST Dhg A ST N R 18 42 T M A O ON EE R C SCOT i C RD l mn A 51 38 hg AIRPORT RD C e LTON ST R 47 K 46 G CAR A IV O hg N A QEW I OO A M O N 44 L E A N E BROCK'S MONUMENT 104 R T AV S 55 Lewiston 49 48 C R dc T A O r po e RD I 12 7 RD CONC. N R hg O RD I D e O D N O 3RD AVE A LLA k S E Q L UE P E T W E NS KW Queenston 11 TO N ST Queenston-Lewiston Y St.
    [Show full text]
  • Doing Niagara Falls If You're Stuck on the American Side
    Meiqianbao/ Shutterstock Doing Niagara Falls If You're Stuck on the American Side By Jason Cochran The legendary Niagara Falls, one of the greatest natural attractions in North America, straddles the border between Ontario, Canada, and New York State. In an ideal tourism situation, you'd be able to drive or stroll across the Rainbow International Bridge to enjoy the view from both banks of the Niagara River. But sometimes you just can't get over the border. Maybe you don't have enough time. Maybe your legal status won't allow it. Or maybe you happen to be living through a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic that has sealed national borders. It's all good! If you're restricted to the U.S. side, you won't find yourself over a barrel. There's plenty to do. In fact, some of the best activities in the Niagara Falls area are on the American side. Pictured above: Terrapin Point, at right, juts into the eastern side of the Falls from Niagara Falls State Park in New York State. Niagara Falls State Park Niagara Falls State Park If we're being honest, the Canadian side has richer options for quality lodging and tourist amenities, although the stuff on that riverbank tends toward cheesy honky-tonk. New York's territory beside the Falls, on the other hand, has been preserved from development since the 1880s. In fact, the area is now the oldest state park in the United States. The more-than-400-acre Niagara Falls State Park, which is separated from the core of town by a breakaway river, is speckled with whitewater-spanning bridges, river islands, curving walkways, and native animals.
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds Series 2017 T Notice
    PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT DATED MAY 31, 2017 NEW ISSUE – Book Entry Only Standard & Poor’s: “A+” (see “Rating” herein) In the opinion of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Bond Counsel, based upon an analysis of existing laws, regulations, ll there be rulings and court decisions and assuming, among other matters, the accuracy of certain representations and compliance with isdiction. certain covenants, interest on the Series 2017 Bonds is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes under Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. In the further opinion of Bond Counsel, interest on the Series 2017 Bonds is not a specific preference item for purposes of the federal individual or corporate alternative minimum taxes, although Bond Counsel observes that such interest is included in adjusted current earnings when calculating corporate alternative minimum taxable income. Bond Counsel is also of the opinion that interest on the Series 2017 Bonds is exempt from personal income taxes imposed by the State of New York and any political subdivision thereof, including The City of New York. Bond Counsel expresses no opinion regarding any other tax consequences related to the ownership or disposition of, or the amount, accrual or receipt of interest on, the Series 2017 Bonds. See “TAX MATTERS” herein. $72,580,000* Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority Toll Bridge System Revenue Bonds Series 2017 t notice. The Authority will make available its final Official Dated: Date of Delivery Due: January 1, as shown on the inside
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority
    Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority Request for Proposals for Project Consultant: Right-of-Way Survey & Mapping Services for the Peace Bridge Expansion Project City of Buffalo, Erie County, NY, USA Town of Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada 100 Queen Street Fort Erie, ON L2A 3S6 May 12, 2008 BUFFALO & FORT ERIE PUBLIC BRIDGE AUTHORITY TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 A. General Information............................................................................................... 1 B. Term of Service..................................................................................................... 2 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE AUTHORITY.............................................................................. 3 A. Name of Contact Person......................................................................................... 3 B. Background Information......................................................................................... 3 III. NATURE OF SERVICES REQUIRED................................................................................ 4 A. General................................................................................................................. 4 B. Project Classification .............................................................................................. 4 C. Policy and Procedures ............................................................................................ 5 D. Categorization
    [Show full text]
  • ONE HUNDRED YEARS of PEACE: Memory and Rhetoric on the United States/ Canadian Border, 1920-1933
    ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF PEACE: Memory and Rhetoric on the United States/ Canadian Border, 1920-1933 Paul Kuenker, Ph.D. Student, School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, Arizona State University In the fall of 2010, artists Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo of the Seattle- based Lead Pencil Studio installed their newest sculpture adjacent to the border crossing station located at Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia on the U.S./Canadian border. Funded by the U.S. General Services Administration’s Art in Architecture program as part of its renovation of the border crossing station, Han and Mihalyo’s Non-Sign II consists of a large rectangular absence created by an intricate web of stainless steel rods (Figure 1). The sculpture evokes the many billboards that dot the highway near the border, yet this “permanent aperture between nations,” as Mihalyo refers to it, frames only empty space. According to Mihalyo, the sculpture plays on the idea of a billboard in order to “reinforce your attention back to the landscape and the atmosphere, the thing that the two nations share in common.”1 Though it may or may not have been their intention, the artists ofNon- Sign II placed the work in a location where it is easily juxtaposed with a border monument from a different era—a concrete archway situated on the boundary between the United States and Canada. Designed by prominent road-builder and Pacific Highway Association President Samuel Hill, the Peace Arch was formally dedicated at a grand ceremony held on September 6, 1921, to celebrate over one hundred years of peace between the United States, Great Britain and Canada since the 1814 Treaty of Ghent (Figure 2).
    [Show full text]
  • Canada Que B Ec, Can Ad A
    c A N A D A CANADA QUE B EC, CAN AD A #\rA VS'-: ^W + 347'(105.8 m1) + 347' (105.8m) LEVIS QUEBEC Cantilever truss bridge with main span of 1600 ff still Ahe longesh jpan in the world for any type of bridge other than a suspension bridge.. Construction s far tec/ in I90O but was interrupted oy two accidents. The 5outh cantilever section col/apsed in 190/ killing J5 workmen. The suspended span dropped during Hf/ing in lf/Gy killing 12 men, The bridge Has finally completed in /)ugusi If IS. 0. hi. A mm an n Ivas engaged to analyze the cause of the Iqoj collapse Mb official report is noiw an engineering classic CANADA QUEBEC BRIDGE With its clear span of 1800 ft., the Quebec Bridge was considered the eighth "Wonder of the World" when it was opened to traffic in 1919. It still is the longest cantilever steel railway bridge in the world. y 7f~5M - -—- >.v Cornelius V/..»de Forest,El .ce President Union uas and Power Co. ^EOISTEREO r lum an °rth r e Cincinnatti, Ohio. 3'JMAL. ORIGINAL R .... ?<>J 48339 CANADA QUEBEC BRIDGE The Quebec Bridge is a riveted steel cantilever structure with a main span of 1800 ft and side spans of 515 ft. In its width of 94 ft, it carries one rail line, 3 lanes of automobile traffic and 2 pedestrian walkways across the St.Lawrence Seaway, providing a clearance above water of 150 ft. The bridge was declared a historic monument in 1987 by the Canadian and American Society of Civil Engineers, and a National Historic Site on January 24,1996 by the Department of Canadian Heritage.
    [Show full text]
  • The Prince of Wales in Niagara
    Looking back... with Alun Hughes THE PRINCE OF WALES AT NIAGARA On June 22, 1813, one year into the War of 1812, Sir Edmund Head, Governor General of British North Laura Secord walked all the way from her home at America, had a major role in planning the tour, but Queenston to the DeCew House in Thorold to warn the local details were left largely to the places visited. Lieutenant James FitzGibbon of an impending American attack. But official recognition for her heroic deed did The Hero reached St. Johns on July 23 after a not come until almost half a century later, and then fairly uneventful voyage (if one discounts some bad from a most unlikely quarter. Not for her a medal from weather, a near total eclipse of the sun and the the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, or a suicide of the gun-room steward who in a fit of pension from the Legislature. Instead it was £100 temporary insanity jumped into the ocean). Upon sent from England by Albert Edward, Prince of landing the Prince had his first taste of what was to Wales, in 1861. become routine fare: addresses of welcome, parades through lavishly decorated streets, sightseeing, This followed a three-month tour of British attending levees, and dancing at balls until the small North America and the United States by the Prince hours, all reported in detail by the newspapermen in the summer and fall of 1860. The visit came as accompanying the royal party. According to the the role of the monarchy was undergoing radical London Times, 380 addresses in all were delivered.
    [Show full text]
  • Border-Wide Assessment of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Technology—Current and Future Concepts
    Border-Wide Assessment of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Technology—Current and Future Concepts Final Report July 2012 Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names may appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. Quality Assurance Statement The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement. Border-Wide Assessment of ITS Technology— Current and Future Concepts Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. FHWA-HOP-12-015 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Border-Wide Assessment of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) July 2012 Technology—Current and Future Concepts – Final Report 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Rajat Rajbhandari, Juan Villa, Roberto Macias, William Tate 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Texas Transportation Institute Battelle Memorial Institute Texas A&M University System 505 King Avenue 11. Contract or Grant No.
    [Show full text]
  • Tech Memo 2 02202008A
    NIAGARA FRONTIER URBAN AREA FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION STUDY TABLE OF CONTENTS i NIAGARA FRONTIER URBAN AREA FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION STUDY TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................1 1.1 OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................1 1.2 SUBSEQUENT DELIVERABLES..................................................................................1 AIR CARGO SYSTEM PROFILE..............................................................................3 2.1 AIR CARGO SYSTEM PROFILE OVERVIEW................................................................3 2.2 AIRPORT FACILITIES AND ACCESS...........................................................................4 2.3 AIR CARGO CARRIERS..........................................................................................11 2.4 MARKETS AND ROUTES ........................................................................................14 2.5 NEXT STEPS – DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES .........................21 HIGHWAY SYSTEM PROFILE...............................................................................23 3.1 HIGHWAY SYSTEM PROFILE OVERVIEW ................................................................23 3.2 PRIMARY HIGHWAY FREIGHT SYSTEM ..................................................................24 3.3 SECONDARY HIGHWAY FREIGHT SYSTEM .............................................................27
    [Show full text]
  • NY Gateway Connections Improvement Project Tot He US
    NEW YORK GATEWAY CONNECTIONS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO THE US PEACE BRIDGE PLAZA Final Design Report/Environmental Impact Statement Final Section 4(f) Evaluation (49 USC 303) APPENDIX G – MISC PAPERS G-1 – Project Planning & Development – U.S. Plaza of the Peace Bridge G-2 – Assessment of Diverting Trucks off the Peace Bridge G-3 – Assessment of Ingress and Egress of Oversize Trucks at the Peace Bridge PIN 5760.80 City of Buffalo Erie County, New York April 4, 2014 ATTACHMENT G-1 Project Planning & Development – U.S. Plaza of the Peace Bridge TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 II. Purpose of the Project ...........................................................................................................1 III. Interstate System Access Considerations ............................................................................1 IV. Existing Highway Connections with the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza ....................................... 3 V. Benefits of New Highway Connections with the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza ............................ 3 VI. Other Projects Affecting the U.S. Plaza ...............................................................................4 VII. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 5 G1-i This page left intentionally blank. G1-ii I. Introduction The advancement of the NY Gateway Connections Improvement
    [Show full text]
  • ENGINEERS WEEK Bridge Work Done Right
    SPECIAL REPORT ENGINEERS WEEK Bridge work done right Lewiston-Queenston makeover was done quickly, efficiently and with minimal traffic disruption Business First of Buffalo - February 20, 2006 by Dale English A law of physics stating that that the lesser can never contain the greater met its match last summer when, thanks to 21st century engineering and construction techniques, a fifth traffic lane was inserted into the majestically arched Lewiston-Queenston Bridge with hardly a ripple of problem. It was done so quickly and efficiently and with such minimal traffic disruption, even during peak summer travel time, that some might be tempted to ask, "What if they rebuilt a bridge and nobody noticed?" And it was done in minimal time-11 months-through winter's cold and summer's heat, snow and wind, in daylight and gloom of night. Workers were double-shifted and for some, "Saturday Night Live" was an eight- or 10-hour date with a jackhammer on the bridge deck. 'Miserable' timetable "It was a miserable timetable," said Tom Garlock, general manager for the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission , the customer on the job costing about $45 million Canadian. Agreed, said two principals in the project, Kenneth Rawe, vice president of Oakgrove Construction Inc. , of Elma, and Bill Snow, construction engineer for Rankin Construction Inc. , of St. Catharines, Ont. Rankin was the prime contractor with Oakgrove, as its subcontractor, handling all work on the American side of the bridge. Both men are professional engineers. The problem was the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge-known as Queenston- Lewiston in Canada - simply wasn't big enough anymore to handle its daily traffic load.
    [Show full text]
  • What Heritage-Based Collaboration Offers the Cross-Border Niagara Region
    Pathway to Peace: What Heritage-based Collaboration offers the Cross-border Niagara Region Kerry Mitchell “The ideal site for the world peace capital” Niagara “... here, there is peace”. “Surely to those who will implement the purpose of the United Nations, it will be inspiring to execute their high duties in a locality steeped in traditions of peace and good -neighborliness, among peoples of various ancestry who have forged indissoluble bonds of international good will and co-operation, and who have made peace work.” Drawn from the Canadian proposal to establish the UN at Navy Island; (McGreevy, “Imagining Niagara” p .66) “Niagara should be listed among the great treasures of the world for its natural scenery.” Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, General Plan for the Improvement of the Niagara Reservation, 1887 “We must ask ourselves if we are leaving for future generations an environment that is as good or better than we found.” Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States and NYS legislator credited with the legislation creating the Niagara Reservation, America’s first state park. 1 Symbols of peace and friendship between Canada and the United States can be found in monuments, agreements, bridges, official statements and individual relationships. The integration of the Canadian and U.S. economies is a testament to it, as is the joint stewardship of the Great Lakes, and the binational response to the events of 9/11. Whether overt or covert, symbols of peace and friendship are quite simply, everywhere. When the history of the relationship has already spoken so clearly to these ideals, what then is the benefit of yet another symbol of peace between Canada and the United States? This paper aims to address that question by putting forward the basis for re-imagining the cross-border Niagara region as an International Peace Park.
    [Show full text]