Main Street Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Main Street Tunnel, located in Welland, Ontario
, Canada
, is an underwater tunnel, carrying Niagara
Road 27 and the unsigned designation of Highway 7146 under the Welland Canal
. It is named as a part of East Main Street.
The structure was built as a part of the Welland By-Pass
project. Its construction was relatively easy since, like the Townline Tunnel
, it was constructed at the same time as the channel above it and a simple cut and cover. The tunnel was officially opened on May 20, 1972.
. Niagara Regional Road 27 also provides a connection from Welland eastward to Niagara Falls
.
The tunnel provides four lanes for traffic, two in each direction, separated by a full-height concrete wall. There is also a sidewalk for pedestrian use in the westbound section.
beneath an active waterway; the structure cost C$11 million. This price was split 50–50 between the Transport Canada
and the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority. The tunnel opened with a parade featuring the Welland Police pipe band and various officials on the morning of May 20, 1972.
Welland, Ontario
Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada.The city has been traditionally known as the place where rails and water meet, referring to the railways from Buffalo to Toronto and Southwestern Ontario, and the waterways of Welland Canal and Welland River,...
, 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...
, is an underwater tunnel, carrying Niagara
Regional Municipality of Niagara, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Niagara , also known as the Niagara Region, or, colloquially, "Regional Niagara", is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada....
Road 27 and the unsigned designation of Highway 7146 under the Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
. It is named as a part of East Main Street.
The structure was built as a part of the Welland By-Pass
Welland By-Pass
The Welland By-pass, completed in 1973, was a massive construction project on the Welland Canal in Ontario, Canada.A new channel long was constructed, providing a shorter, more direct alignment between Port Robinson and Port Colborne and by-passing downtown Welland...
project. Its construction was relatively easy since, like the Townline Tunnel
Townline Tunnel
The Townline Tunnel, located in Welland, Ontario, Canada, is an underwater tunnel, carrying Highway 58A as well as the Canadian Pacific Railway under the Welland Canal. The "A" suffix is a misnomer since it is more of a connector than an alternative route. Highway 58A is a two-lane freeway in its...
, it was constructed at the same time as the channel above it and a simple cut and cover. The tunnel was officially opened on May 20, 1972.
Description
The tunnel links Highway 406 on the west side of the canal, which travels north to St. Catharines to Highway 140 on the east side, which travels south to Port ColbornePort Colborne, Ontario
Port Colborne is a city on Lake Erie, at the southern end of the Welland Canal, in the Niagara Region of southern Ontario, Canada...
. Niagara Regional Road 27 also provides a connection from Welland eastward to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
.
The tunnel provides four lanes for traffic, two in each direction, separated by a full-height concrete wall. There is also a sidewalk for pedestrian use in the westbound section.
History
The Main Street Tunnel, like the nearby Townline Tunnel to the south, was constructed in the early 1970s as part of the Welland Bypass of the Welland Canal. It was built using a cut and cover technique, whereby the tunnel was excavated, the concrete poured, and the structure buried, on top of which the canal channel was built. This avoided costly boringBoring
Boring often refers to anything that causes boredom.Boring may also refer to:Making holes*Boring , the drilling of holes or tunnels in the earth**Tunnel boring machine machine used in boring tunnels or shafts...
beneath an active waterway; the structure cost C$11 million. This price was split 50–50 between the Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
and the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority. The tunnel opened with a parade featuring the Welland Police pipe band and various officials on the morning of May 20, 1972.