The Humber Bay Arch Bridge (also known as the Humber River Arch Bridge, the Humber River Pedestrian Bridge, or the Gateway Bridge) is a pedestrian and bicycle
through arch bridge
A through arch bridge, also known as a through-type arch bridge, is a bridge that is made from materials such as steel or reinforced concrete, in which the base of an arch structure is below the deck but the top rises above it. It can either be lo ...
south of
Lake Shore Boulevard
Lake Shore Boulevard (often incorrectly compounded as Lakeshore Boulevard) is a major arterial road running along more than half of the Lake Ontario waterfront in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Prior to 1998, two segments of Lake Shore ...
West in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
, Canada. Completed in the mid-1990s, the bridge is part of the
The bridge is constructed of two diameter high-strength steel pipes, bent into twin arches that rise above grade, and suspend the deck by way of 44 stainless-steel hangers, each in diameter. The foundation consists of concrete-filled caissons which go down below grade to the bedrock.
Designed in 1994 by Montgomery Sisam Architects of Toronto and Delcan Corporation (
bridge engineers
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 someth ...
), it was constructed by Sonterlan Construction, and is the recipient of numerous local architectural, design and engineering awards. The bridge is situated at the mouth of the Humber River, the start of the "Toronto Carrying Place" trail, an ancient aboriginal trading route leading north, and thus features design elements and decorations such as carved turtles and canoes that evoke this native heritage.
The bridge forms an important pedestrian, recreational and commuter cyclist link, and carries the
Waterfront Trail
Stretching over 3600 km (2236 miles) from Prince Township, west of Sault Ste. Marie, to the Quebec border, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail is a signed route of interconnecting roads and off-road trails joining over 150 communities and First Na ...
, a multi-use pathway that will eventually parallel the entire north shore of Lake Ontario. The Toronto section is known as the
Martin Goodman Trail
The Martin Goodman Trail is a Waterfront Trail
Stretching over 3600 km (2236 miles) from Prince Township, west of Sault Ste. Marie, to the Quebec border, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail is a signed route of interconnecting roads and off-road trails joining over 150 communities and First Na ...