It is located on the Welland Canal and Highway 20, both important transportation routes through the Niagara Peninsula.

At approximately 20:54 on August 11, 2001, the bulk carrier vessel Windoc struck the descending Allanburg lift bridge.

The wheelsman remained in the wheelhouse and survived the collision by lying on the deck until the bridge span passed overhead.

[1] The canal reopened to shipping two days later, but the bridge remained locked in a raised position while engineers studied and repaired the structure.

Road traffic through central Niagara was left in considerable chaos, as the number of canal crossings is limited.