Construction of a fixed-link crossing of the MacKenzie River near Fort Providence began in 2008 and opened November 30, 2012. This is the first time there has been a permanent all weather crossing linking Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, with the rest of the Canadian highway network. Previously motorists had to use the
MV Merv Hardie ferry in the summer and an ice bridge in the winter, with a significant interruption in spring and fall.
The project was plagued with construction delays and budget overruns. The bridge is 1.045 kilometres long (1.6km including the approach causeways), 10.4 meters wide, and has 27.2 meters of clearance for shipping, requiring a 3.5% grade on the bridge deck. The cost of construction was 202 million CAD.
Deh Cho is the traditional name of the MacKenzie River by the local Dene people, and means "big water".
This image was shot from the south side of the river, east of the bridge.
15 image panorama, stitched using hugin. It's a little soft, as I had to hand-hold at 300mm.
Much bigger: