Canso Causeway

The Canso Causeway is a rock-fill causeway crossing the Strait of Canso, connecting Cape Breton Island by road to the Nova Scotia peninsula. Its crest thickness is , carrying the two vehicle traffic lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway, Nova Scotia Highway 104 on the mainland side, and Nova Scotia Highway 105 on the Cape Breton side, as well as the single track mainline of the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway. The causeway opened in 1955 after three years of construction. Constructed in an "S" shape, it has a base width of in waters having a maximum depth of . Cape Breton Island remains circumnavigable as a result of the wide and long Canso Canal, which is located at the eastern end of the causeway to allow ship traffic to transit the Strait of Canso. The Canso Canal Bridge is a swing bridge which carries the road and railway line across the canal. The word "Canso" is believed to be derived from the Mi'kmaq word kamsok, which means "opposite the lofty cliffs."