page_title: Barra Strait
section_title: Transportation
hierarchical_section_title: Barra Strait / Transportation
caption_attribution_description: English: The Barra Strait is a 2.2 km (0.6 nautical mile) wide channel located the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It connects the northern and southern basins of Bras d'Or Lake, an inland saltwater body that dominates the centre of Cape Breton Island. The border between two of Cape Breton Island's counties runs through the strait; the community of Grand Narrows, in Cape Breton County, is situated on the eastern shore while the community of Iona, in Victoria County is situated on the western shore.
context_page_description: The Barra Strait is a 1.22 km wide channel located in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It connects the northern and southern basins of Bras d'Or Lake, an inland saltwater body that dominates the centre of Cape Breton Island. The border between two of Cape Breton Island's counties runs through the strait; the community of Grand Narrows, in Cape Breton County, is situated on the eastern shore while the community of Iona, in Victoria County is situated on the western shore.
context_section_description: The opening of the St. Peters Canal in 1869 saw the Barra Strait become part of a sheltered coastal shipping route between Sydney and the Strait of Canso for sailing and steam powered vessels.  Vessels transiting this route are only limited by the size of the lock in the St. Peters Canal, which measures 91.44 metres (300.0 ft) long, 14.45 metres (47.4 ft) wide, and 4.88 metres (16.0 ft) draught.
  Boat traffic through the Barra Strait has been logged since 1991, and has consistently ranged between 1700 and 2100 boats passing through the swing and bascule bridges each year, with a peak of 2100 passages recorded for 2002. Of these movements, an estimated 2% are commercial activity, 8% are government and 90% are recreational.
caption: Approaching the Barra Strait and its bridges from the north.  In the foreground is Barra Strait Bridge.  Behind it (with the arched spans) is the Grand Narrows Bridge.
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