Welland Canal Bridge Users to Benefit from New Web Service
October 24, 2012
Will Help Thousands of Motorists Plan their Daily Drive
St. Catharines, Ontario (October 24, 2012) – The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced today that residents can check the status of all bridges spanning the Welland Canal from their smartphones. Within seconds, smartphone users (including iPhone and BlackBerry users) can determine if the bridge they plan to cross is available.
“We are pleased to offer drivers the means of consulting their mobile devices before they get on the road, and gain a complete view of bridge availability in a matter of seconds” said Stephen Kwok, Vice-President of the SLSMC’s Niagara Region. “We know how important bridge status is to all residents, and we are continually striving to enhance the commuting experience.”
Bridge Status Information in Seconds, at the Press of an Icon
To access the specially formatted web page, smartphone users may simply type the web address noted below into their smartphone’s web browser. By saving the web address as a favourite in their browser, or by creating an icon on the smartphone’s home screen to trigger the display of the web page, users can instantly recall the page, and generate an updated view of the bridge status information.
The address for the web page, formatted for smartphones, is:
Niagara Bridge Status (English)
Niagara Bridge Status (French)
Access to the bridge status page will also be provided via CAA Niagara’s smartphone app. A link within the CAA app will provide immediate access to the Seaway’s mobile friendly web page.
“Our CAA smartphone app provides drivers with a wealth of information, and the addition of bridge status information further solidifies the app’s value” said Pat Nielsen, President and CEO of CAA Niagara. “The end result for our 116,000+ members is a smoother commuting experience, and we applaud the SLSMC’s responsiveness to meeting the needs of Niagara drivers.”
The Welland Canal is a key part of the broader Great Lakes / Seaway system, which supports 227,000 jobs and $34 billion in economic activity across Canada and the United States, according to the Martin Economic Impact Study completed in 2011. For more information about the Seaway, please consult the www.greatlakes-seaway.com website.