Hog's Back Bridge is an asymmetrical
swing bridge
A swing bridge (or swing span bridge) is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its center of gravity, about which the swing span (turning span) can then pi ...
in
Ottawa,
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
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Located at the intersection of
Mooney's Bay and the Hog's Back
locks
Lock(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lock ...
, it crosses the
Rideau Canal and carries 2 lanes of
Hog's Back Road and a sidewalk. The swing bridge operates from May to October when boats exceeding in height need to pass via the canal underneath.
The bridge is
hydraulically
Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...
controlled. Two wedge cylinders secure the bridge and raise the overhanging edge in place at road level. When the bridge is to be opened, four
barriers are lowered to block traffic from entering the bridge deck. The cylinders are withdrawn which lowers the bridge down onto a circular rail track. This movement also takes the weight of the bridge off of the west side bearings. Once the limit switches sense the wedge cylinders are fully retracted, the bridge is pivoted. The hydraulic power unit has 2 main pumps which can be run independently or together, and one small backup pump to be run off a generator if need be.
The bridge was closed for extensive rehabilitation from August 2019 to October 2020. Despite the repairs, the bridge had to be closed two separate times between June and July 2021 due to issues with the hydraulic system.
References
Bridges in Ottawa
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