Peace Bridge Authority Director, Patrick Robson, Passes Away

BUFFALO, NY/FORT ERIE, ON – The Board and staff of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority are deeply saddened by the passing of Patrick J. Robson on August 25, 2024.

2023 Border Traffic Statistics Issued by the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association (BTOA)

BUFFALO, NY/FORT ERIE, ON – Today the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association (BTOA) released border crossing numbers for the year 2023 between the Province of Ontario and the States of Michigan and New York.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to be felt in 2023.  Car traffic was down 17.62% compared to pre-pandemic 2019 equating to a decline of approximately 4.8 million vehicles.

Truck traffic was deemed essential throughout the pandemic and therefore not subject to border restrictions resulting in 2023 truck volumes being similar to pre-pandemic volumes.

The Canada and United States federal governments imposed COVID-19 border restrictions on all non-essential travel on March 21, 2020.  During the subsequent three years these restrictions were modified from time to time including Canadian requirements of pre-entry COVID-19 testing and using the ArriveCan app.  These requirements along with the vaccination requirements were dropped in October 2022.  The United States did not require pre-entry testing or utilization of an entry app but did require vaccination throughout.  The vaccination requirement was dropped May 12, 2023.  After this date there were no longer any COVID-19 border restrictions being imposed by either country.

In 2023, compared to 2022, overall car crossings increased by 37.65%. Truck crossings increased by 2.48%. Combined there were 28,943,379 car, truck and bus crossings, an increase of 27.65% or 6,269,781 more vehicles.   However, for most of 2022, as described above, COVID-19 border restrictions were still in place.

The data for each individual crossing is as follows:

Peace Bridge Lighting in honour of Queen Elizabeth, II

BUFFALO, NY/FORT ERIE, ON –  The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority will be lighting the Peace Bridge Royal Blue on September 18 and September 19, 2022, in honour of Queen Elizabeth, II.

The Peace Bridge will be joining other Canadian landmarks in paying tribute to the late Queen. Royal blue was chosen to be the tribute colour due to the blue found in the viceregal flags of Canada and because it mimics the colour of jewels worn by the Queen in her last official Canadian portrait.