Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority to dial back bridge fares to 1962 rates for 24 hours to observe 50th anniversary

The Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority (SSMBA) will roll back passenger vehicle tolls Oct. 31 to $1.25, the same rate motorists paid when the bridge opened 50 years ago.

“The SSMBA board members and International Bridge Administration (IBA) wanted to do something very special to show our gratitude to our customers and our bi-national community on the 50th anniversary date,” said IBA General Manager Phil Becker. “Rolling back the toll seemed a very fitting way to show that appreciation.”

The $3 toll rate for passenger vehicles and $2.10 rate for Prox Card customers will be reduced to $1.25 (U.S. and Canadian currency) per crossing between the hours of 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, and 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Other activities planned for the Oct. 31 anniversary day celebration include a commemorative luncheon at Lake Superior State University’s Cisler Center for invited guests, the public unveiling of a 50th anniversary plaque, and commemorative memorabilia giveaways to toll customers.

The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge is totally self-funded, primarily through tolls, and receives no operational subsidy from any state, provincial, or federal source. The IBA expects to spend an estimated $50 million in the next 15 years on toll plaza renovations, bridge painting, and concrete bridge deck maintenance projects.

Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge “Celebrating 50 Years of International Friendship, 1962 – 2012”