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St. Lawrence Seaway & Great Lakes The Saint Lawrence Seaway connects Montreal to Lake Ontario, making it possible to travel from Montreal westward to many destinations including the Oswego Canal at Oswego, NY, the Rideau Canal at Kingston, ONT, and the Trent-Severn Canal at Trenton, ONT. and the Great Lakes. The Seaway was completed in 1959 as a replacement for smaller canals and locks along the Saint Lawrence River, the first of which, the Lachine Canal, was completed in 1824. The Seaway is a joint project between the United States and Canada, consisting of both locks and dams, to permit shipping and the generation of hydro-electric power. Queen Elizabeth of England and President Eisenhower attended the Seaway's dedication. The are seven large locks in the Seaway; they are 766 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 30 feet deep. Vessels are raised, or lowered, 247 feet between Montreal and Lake Ontario. The Seaway was built to meet the needs of large commercial vessels; it is possible for pleasure vessels to use it, although commercial vessels are given priority. An elaborate system of signals is in place at each lock and lift bridge to control the movement of commercial vessels. Pleasure craft docks are in place at all locks; all pleasure craft must tie-up at these docks to await clearance for locking through. |
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