Devon Bridge (Alberta)
Encyclopedia
Devon Bridge is a bridge that carries the Devonian Way (Highway 60) over the North Saskatchewan River
in Devon
, Alberta
, Canada
. The current bridge was built in 1987 to replace an earlier bridge that was started in 1950 and completed in 1951.
Before 1948, passengers could cross the river
in this location in a bucket or cage that was pulled across the river by a system of cables and pulley
s. During the winter, cars could cross the river on an ice
bridge that was created by pumping water onto the surface of the river to create a safe driving surface. A ferry
operated during ice-free periods from October 1948 until the completion of the first Devon Bridge in the spring of 1951.
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
in Devon
Devon, Alberta
Devon is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada, situated southwest of Edmonton, the provincial capital, and located along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.- History :Devon owes its existence to one of the largest oil discoveries in the world...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The current bridge was built in 1987 to replace an earlier bridge that was started in 1950 and completed in 1951.
Before 1948, passengers could cross the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in this location in a bucket or cage that was pulled across the river by a system of cables and pulley
Pulley
A pulley, also called a sheave or a drum, is a mechanism composed of a wheel on an axle or shaft that may have a groove between two flanges around its circumference. A rope, cable, belt, or chain usually runs over the wheel and inside the groove, if present...
s. During the winter, cars could cross the river on an ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
bridge that was created by pumping water onto the surface of the river to create a safe driving surface. A ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
operated during ice-free periods from October 1948 until the completion of the first Devon Bridge in the spring of 1951.