Three Nations Crossing

Three Nations Crossing
The former Canadian Border Inspection Station on Cornwall Island
Location
Country	United States; Canada
Location	US Port: 30M Seaway International Bridge, Rooseveltown, New York 13683 Canadian Port: 755 Brookdale Avenue, Cornwall, Ontario K6J 5C6
Coordinates	44°59′26″N 74°44′22″W / 44.990602°N 74.739561°W
Details
Opened	1935
US Phone	[phone]
Canadian Phone	[phone]
Hours	Open 24 Hours
Website http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/me/0104.xml

The Three Nations Crossing is a border crossing on the Canada–US border, connecting the city of Cornwall, Ontario in Canada to Rooseveltown, New York, a neighbourhood within the town of Massena, in the United States. The crossing is traversed by the Seaway International Bridge, which crosses the St. Lawrence River and is 4.7 km (2.9 mi) in total length.

In 2000, the international border crossing was named the Three Nations Crossing, in honour of the Mohawks of Akwesasne who inhabit the region.

On May 31, 2009, Akwesasne Mohawks occupied the area around the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) port of entry building to protest the Canadian government's decision to arm border agents on Mohawk land by June 1, 2009. At 11:45 p.m. on May 31, the border guards were ordered by the CBSA to leave the building, Canadian Customs was closed, and the north span of the bridge was closed.^[1] Although American Customs remained opened for southbound traffic, northbound traffic was blocked on the American side by both American and Canadian officials. Over the following six weeks, the Canadian border officially remained closed. At 06:00 on July 13, CBSA opened a "temporary" border inspection station at the north end of the north span of the bridge in the city of Cornwall, effectively opening the bridge for all traffic in both directions.

The Akwesasne Mohawks continue to stage periodic protests which result in the temporary closure of the crossing. Their complaint now is that when they travel from the US to their land on Cornwall Island, they must now cross the second bridge into Canada, report for inspection at the new Canadian border station, and then return to Cornwall Island. Discussions are being pursued about moving the Canadian border inspection facility to the US side of the border, but there are many questions associated with the impacts to Canadian enforcement and prosecution while operating on US soil.^[2]

• 
  New North Channel Bridge between Cornwall and Akwesasne in Ontario, Canada
• 
  New 2014 Bridge between Cornwall and Akwesasne, Ontario, Canada. New bridge is lower bridge. Old bridge is higher bridge. It is scheduled to be removed.
• 
  July 2015: Demolition of Seaway International Bridge that was recently replaced by the much lower North Channel Bridge

See also

• List of Canada–United States border crossings
• List of crossings of the Saint Lawrence River
• Cornwall Island (Ontario)

References

1. "Mohawks Allow Some To Cross Bridge: Border Dispute Enters Second Week". Plattsburgh, New York: WPTZ. June 8, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
2. Sommerstein, David (Jan 24, 2014). "New Cornwall bridge opens, but it still feels closed to Mohawks". North Country Public Radio. Retrieved 13 November 2016.

External links

• "Three Nations Crossing". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
• Seaway International Bridge Corporation