23-06-2025
Ogdensburg bridge traffic remains down; OBPA chair thinks new marketing needed
Jun. 22—OGDENSBURG — Traffic across the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge in May was well below figures for the same month last year, establishing a trend that's taken place over the last three months now.
The Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority board chairman thinks it's time for a county-wide unified marketing strategy to try and bring back some of the Canadian tourists who stopped coming over after increased scrutiny at the border from federal immigration officials and the U.S. president talking about making Canada a "51st state."
"We haven't seen any real up or down changes," said Steven J. Lawrence, OBPA executive director, during the OBPA board's Thursday meeting. "More of the same."
"[It's] the trend we see for the foreseeable future. Obviously, that pains," said Vernon J. "Sam" Burns, OBPA board chairman.
Burns believes that marketing groups in St. Lawrence County should join together in an effort to try and recapture some of the losses.
"It concerns me that no group yet has started to think about changing what our overall marketing strategy should be, as it appears we're going to lose a significant number of tourists this year, and maybe next year," he said Thursday night.
"It's paramount to me as a member of this authority ... as a resident and taxpayer in St. Lawrence County. I was hoping some group would call a meeting and those involved in tourism discuss maybe what's next, Burns added.
Lawrence said he's discussed the problem with local officials, including the mayor of Ogdensburg and members of the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators who he described as "very supportive."
"We haven't joined together with any kind of response to that," Lawrence said.
Auto crossings totaled 29,209 last month, down 31.34% from the same month last year and down 42.75% from May 2019.
OBPA uses 2019 as a comparison to what they consider the last "normal" year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and caused a decrease in bridge traffic that never rebounded.
All other crossings for May, which includes commercial truck traffic, declined 10.5% to 5,536 last month from 6,182 in May 2024, and down 19.9% from 6,911 in May 2019.
There were 34,745 total crossings last month, which is down 28.7% from 48,723 in May 2024, and down 40% from 57,927 in May 2019.
Revenue for the month took a hit — $60,408 last month compared to $109,505 in May 2024 and $146,528 in May 2019.
Year-to-date revenue is $369,638, down from $640,144 in May 2019.
Figures for the Seaway International Bridge and Thousand Islands International Bridge have not yet been reported by the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association. The association represents authorities operating bridges and tunnels through the Greats Lakes and St. Lawrence River from as far north as Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, as far west as Detroit, and eastward to Massena.
