Construction progresses by leaps and bounds on Gordie Howe International Bridge project

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As the concrete support towers on either side of the Detroit River soar into the sky, it has become visually obvious that construction on the Gordie Howe International Bridge has advanced at full speed and is on its way to the long-awaited opening of the border crossing for traffic.

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“The design and construction phase of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project is well advanced and construction activities continue on both sides of the border in all components of the project: the Canadian and US ports of entry, the interchange. from Michigan and, of course, the bridge itself, ”said Mark Butler, a spokesman for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, which is overseeing construction.

“We are focusing our efforts on the construction of the bridge towers, which now exceed 100 meters in height. The construction of the buildings and facilities (of the square) has begun and will continue for the next few years. At the Michigan interchange (connection to the I-75 freeway), work continues to focus on rebuilding the highway bridges. “

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I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments of the Bridging North America team over the past year.

The towers to support the bridge, while currently reaching the equivalent of a 33-story building, are only half their final size of 220 meters.

Once they reach their final height, the installation of the “cable casing” that will support the six-lane cable-stayed bridge is “possibly more complex” and will take time to complete before the actual installation of the bridge deck can be completed. start, not scheduled. that will happen through the first half of 2023, Butler said.

Currently, on the Canadian side, in addition to the towers, construction has begun on many of the various customs, maintenance and other buildings that will be located in Windsor Square.

“This includes the installation of interior plumbing and electrical mounting in the power and maintenance buildings, mounting and detailing of structural steel in the main building, waterproofing, filling and underground utilities for the secondary inspection building and reinforcing steel and formwork, as well as concrete placements for the foundation piers and footings of the customer’s processing building, ”said Butler.

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In Detroit, in the community of Delray, which will host Howe Bridge Plaza, in addition to the new freeway interchange and initial construction of a new three-kilometer minor highway to connect to I-75, some of the site’s drainage, in addition to the excavation and installation of foundations and pillars are being built for the main plaza building and the commercial building.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on construction, but the project’s contractor, a consortium of global companies known as Bridging North America, “continues to work until its contract opening date in late 2024,” Butler said. .

“The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to make adjustments in the way they operate to ensure that government (health) directives are followed and steps are taken to ensure the safety of our workers, contractors and the public in general, ”he said.

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“We are still (processing) the impact that the pandemic may have on the project schedule. In the coming months, we may need to modify our construction schedule. Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority and Bridging North America are taking steps to help mitigate any disruptions to the project schedule. “

The number of workers employed in the project continues to increase. On the Canadian side there are 600 workers, including 300 Bridging North America employees, while on the Michigan side there are currently 800 workers, including 450 Bridging North America employees.

Butler expects peak employment figures to occur over the next year and through 2023.

In the coming months, viewers can expect to see the twin towers on each side merge into one and grow upward, while road works will begin on the approaches leading to the bridge.

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“I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments of the Bridging North America team over the past year,” said Michael Hatchell, CEO of Bridging North America. “Our 2021 health and safety achievements, such as the John A Beck Award, four million hours without a lost time injury, along with meeting COVID health and safety protocols with such a large workforce in both Canada as in the USA. “

As for Butler, who for nearly two decades has been the leading voice and local face of the Windsor-Detroit bridge project, he is entering retirement.

“I have been working on the project for the last 17 years in different capacities, starting with the environmental study process,” he said. “It has been a great honor to have worked with such a dedicated group of people on both sides of the border over the years.

“Being part of a historical project has been the highlight of my career. I will miss it, but will closely follow the progress of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project online until its completion. “

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