Rainbow Bridge, New York

The Rainbow Bridge is located within sight of Niagara Falls, and spans the international border, with matching plazas at either end, with toll collection and Ports of Entry, that were rebuilt in 1998 and 2000. The bridge opened in 1941, built by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, which was established to manage the construction of the Rainbow Bridge, after its predecessor, the Honeymoon Bridge, collapsed dramatically into the river in 1938. The bridge’s design was duplicated for the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, at the north end of the gorge, and like that bridge, the international boundary passes through the middle of the span. It is one of three road bridges over Niagara Gorge. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission operates all three, which are mostly self-supporting, through tolls, leases, and commercial concessions.