Our thanks to Quasimime on Flickr, who lives in Toronto, for sharing this beautiful photo of the Confederation Bridge in Canada. (To see a larger version of this photo on Flickr, please click here.)

The following information on the Confederation Bridge is from Wikipedia:

The Confederation Bridge (46°12′55″N, 63°44′45″W; French: Pont de la Confédération) is a bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick, Canada. It is commonly referred to as the “Fixed Link” by residents of Prince Edward Island. Construction began on 13 July 1995, continued for 18 months, and cost $1 billion. The bridge opened on 31 May 1997.

The bridge is a two-lane highway toll bridge that carries the Trans-Canada Highway between Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island and Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick. It is a multi-span post-tensioned concrete box girder structure. Most of the curved bridge is 40 metres (132 feet) above water, but it contains a 60 metre (198 feet) high navigation span to permit ship traffic. The bridge rests on 62 piers, of which the 44 main piers are 250 metres (825 feet) apart. The bridge is 11 metres (36 feet) wide. At 12.9 kilometres (8.1 miles), it is the longest bridge over waters that freeze in the world, and is the longest bridge in Canada.

Tolls are paid only when exiting Prince Edward Island; the current toll rate is $40.50 for an automobile, with other rates for different types of vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists are not permitted to cross; however, a shuttle service is available. The speed limit on the bridge is 80 km/h (50 mph).

The number of tourists visiting Prince Edward Island increased from 740,000 in 1996 (the year before the bridge opened) to 1,200,000 in 1997, although this has dropped off somewhat to stabilize at around 1 million visitors annually. Ironically, the number of visitors actually staying in overnight accommodations in the province has decreased below pre-1996 levels, as many visitors are now choosing to tour PEI and its beaches and attractions in “day trips” out of Moncton or Halifax before continuing to tour the rest of eastern Canada. Prince Edward Island has responded by building high-end attractions such as golf courses to encourage increased spending by tourists during their shorter stays. Demographics such as the aging baby boomer population has also resulted in fewer families visiting the island, so overall the impact of the Fixed Link on tourism is difficult to estimate.

Where the link has made a difference is in the export of food from Prince Edward Island’s agriculture and fishing industries. Potato production has increased dramatically, with industrial farming techniques being used to meet the demand. An increased number of food processing plants, creating items such as french fries and potato chips, has also benefitted from access to the increased potato crop and the ease of transporting off the island. Time-critical seafood has also increased exports from Prince Edward Island since 1997.

The island has also witnessed a revolution in its retail sector since the opening of the Fixed Link. Prior to 1997, big box stores could only be found in larger centres in the Maritimes such as Halifax, Moncton, or Saint John. Prince Edward Island had a larger number of smaller, family-owned retail stores than other provinces, with few shopping malls and less selection of consumer goods. The opening of the Fixed Link was viewed with concern by government and the retail sector alike, as many thought Islanders would use the quicker transportation connection to drive to Moncton for many large-item purchases. While there was a small increase in the number of off-Island shoppers, the provincial government established a program of encouraging big box retailers to establish in the province, including elimination of provincial sales tax on clothing and footwear, resulting in a plethora of chains such as Wal-Mart, Future Shop, Staples, and Home Depot choosing to build stores on the Island. Correspondingly, many smaller locally-owned stores have gone out of business in one of the more visible impacts since the opening of the Fixed Link.