The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge is an international
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
which connects the community of
Lubec
Lubec ( ) is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. It is the easternmost municipality in the contiguous U.S. (see extreme points of the United States) and is the country's closest continental location to Africa.
The town, with a p ...
,
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
with
Campobello Island
Campobello Island (, also ) is the largest and only inhabited island in Campobello, a civil parish in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada, near the border with Maine, United States. The island's permanent population in 2021 was 949. It is the s ...
in the
Canadian province of
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
across the Lubec Narrows. The decked steel beam bridge is named for
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, the
32nd
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
, who maintained a summer retreat on Campobello Island (now preserved as
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
Roosevelt Campobello International Park preserves the house and surrounding landscape of the summer retreat of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt and their family. It is located on the southern tip of Campobello Island in the Canadian pro ...
). A plaque in the middle of the bridge is the easternmost physical marker of the
Canada–United States border.
The bridge, connecting
New Brunswick Route 774
Route 774 is a long mostly north–south secondary highway on Campobello Island in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada.
Route description
The route's northern terminus is northeast of the community of Head Harbour near Head Harbour Island. ...
to
Maine State Route 189
State Route 189 (SR 189) is a numbered state highway in Maine, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Whiting in the west to the Canada–US border at Lubec in the east. In Lubec the route crosses the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge on ...
, is Campobello Island's only fixed connection to the mainland of North America; all of the island's transportation connections to the rest of New Brunswick are by seasonal
ferry.
Border crossing
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilit ...
and
Canada Border Services Agency stations are located at each end of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge, forming the Lubec-Campobello Border Crossing. Although a ferry connected Lubec with
Campobello Island
Campobello Island (, also ) is the largest and only inhabited island in Campobello, a civil parish in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada, near the border with Maine, United States. The island's permanent population in 2021 was 949. It is the s ...
for many years, permanent border inspection facilities were not deployed until the bridge was completed in 1962. The US operated out of a mobile home for the first two years.
History
In 1958, the Canadian government passed the ''Campobello-Lubec Bridge Act'' providing for the framework for the construction of the span.
Following a few years of planning, the bridge opened to traffic in 1962, with its official dedication occurring on August 15, 1962.
See also
References
External links
*{{commons category-inline
Road bridges in New Brunswick
Canada–United States bridges
International bridges in Maine
Bridges completed in 1962
Road bridges in Maine
Transportation buildings and structures in Washington County, Maine
Lubec, Maine
Steel bridges in the United States
Steel bridges in Canada
Monuments and memorials to Franklin D. Roosevelt