Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority
The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority (also known as the Peace Bridge Authority and the Public Bridge Authority) is the agency established to regulate the Peace Bridge, which crosses the Canada–United States border. This bridge is designed to handle vehicle traffic between Buffalo in the American state of New York and Fort Erie in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The authority is a bi-national agency, incorporated as both a public benefit corporation in New York and a Crown corporation in Ontario.[1] US office is located at 1 Peace Bridge Plaza and Canadian office (and the Authority's administrative headquarters) is located at 100 Queen Street, Fort Erie (in the building to the right side of the inspection plaza).
Board of Directors
The Bridge Authority is led by a 10-member board, 5 from each country.[2]
Of the five US members, two are appointed by the Governor of New York with confirmation by the New York State Senate. The remainder members are representatives of various state or local agencies:
- New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner
- Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Chairman
- New York State Attorney General Office.
All five of the Canadian members are appointed by the Governor-in-Council as per recommendation by the Ontario Minister of Transportation.
The Chair of the Board is American and the Vice-Chair is Canadian.
See also
There are two other public entities that operate bridges that cross the Canada-US border in the Great Lakes area:
- Niagara Falls Bridge Commission - public agency in charge of nearby bridges: Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, Whirlpool Rapids Bridge and Rainbow Bridge
- Thousand Islands Bridge Authority - public agency in charge of the Thousand Islands Bridge
There are two other bridge operators that are private:
- Detroit International Bridge Company and Canadian Transit Company - private operator of the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit-Windsor, Ontario crossing
- Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Company - railway bridge operated owned by railroad company Wisconsin Central Ltd.