place on July 14, 1973. Overall, the project cost approximately CAD$188 million. The new channel reduced the length of the canal by and replaced six bridge crossings with the two new tunnels. It reduced the transit time through the Welland Canal by about 30 minutes (5%) as compared to the old alignment. Outcomes The Welland By-pass markedly simplified ship passage along the Welland Canal. The city was no longer dependent on often erratic ship schedules. (For instance, a scheduled city-wide bus service was only instituted after the relocation.) A decision had to be made as to the use of the old alignment. Originally, one of the proposed ideas was for it to be filled in and an extension to Highway 406 be run in it. That never came to be, and instead the old canal was turned over to the city and renamed the Welland Recreational Waterway. Recently, the city has seen the construction of a new Civic Centre, including the city hall and the public library downtown by the old canal. Since the opening of the by-pass, Welland's east side has become a virtual island; separated from the rest of the Niagara Peninsula by the old canal channel to the west and by the by-pass channel to the east. External links The Welland Public Library's Canal history pages contain many newspaper clippings and photos documenting the Canal's history in general, and the construction of the By-pass in particular. Railway Maps, including maps outlining the By-pass project. References Citation of sources for Google map linked in the Construction section (produced for the benefit of this article); Exact placement of tracks determined from Google maps satellite images Welland Canal