Gordie Howe International Bridge Construction Progressing

gordie howe bridge

There is a lot of activity underway at the Canadian port of entry to the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. Bridging North America has set up its offices at Sandwich Street and Prospect Avenue. 45,000 out of 150,000 wick drains have been installed already and the soil is being prepared to support the new border crossing connecting Windsor and Detroit.

On the U.S. side, all but two properties required for the American port of entry are purchased and the end of the year should see deals for the final pieces of land finalized per Blackburn News.

Material is being brought in to build the bridge and some 200 trucks will arrive daily bringing the material needed.

By mid 2020, progress on the bridge will be apparent to everyone living in the area.

 

"So right now, we are focused on the drilled shafts and the work in the ground itself. The towers themselves are going to be rising in the summer." "We're hoping its a good winter as always, so we can continue to have a good strong productivity throughout the winter. We have contingency plans in place as well."

Bridging North America CEO | Aaron Epstein

 

A total of 18 drill shafts are required, 12 for the main tower footing and six for the backspan measuring 36 metres in length each. Work on the tower foots on the Canadian side will start next month, with formwork, rebar, and concrete pouring in January. During that time, workers will also start to install the post-tensioning system, ducts and anchors.

Over the next few months, drivers will also notice some work on the I-75. The ramps to and from Springwells Street will be reconstructed, along with the north and southbound I-75 service drives at Springwells, Liernois Street and Clark Street road bridges.

 

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So far, the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority and Bridging North America have held two vendor summits to find all the workers needed to finish the project.

Epstein stated that there are about 200 professionals working in the project office with another 3-400 designers working on and off-site. Another couple hundred contractors and subcontractors are on the site.

They have not had any problem recruiting all the workers needed but as the heavy construction ramps up from 2021 to 2023, many thousands will be required.This was brought up during the vendor summits along with discussions regarding the need for the really large workforce that will be needed in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Applications are now being taken for the Neighbourhood Infrastructure Strategy. This is part of the community benefits funding set aside to make improvements in the Olde Sandwich Towne and Del Ray neighbourhoods. Eligible organizations can apply for this funding on an annual basis for events, programming and infrastructure improvements. Applications will close on January 31, 2020. 

According to Click On Detroit, the bridge is expected to open by 2024 and officials announced last year that the project would cost about $4.4 billion.

The expected life span of the bridge is 125 years. The Canadian government is financing the deal and tolls will pay the tab over time.

Officials have said that the Gordie Howe International Bridge will be the largest cable-stayed bridge in North America when it's finished.

It will have six lanes as well as bicycle and pedestrian lanes, and will be able to accept hazardous waste, unlike the Ambassador Bridge.

7,000 trucks go back and forth at the crossing each day and traffic is expected to increase once the new bridge is operating.

 

See DataBid Blog titled $2B Gordie Howe International Bridge gets Preferred Proponent

See DataBid Blog titled Construction Underway for $38B Gordie Howe Bridge

 

DataBid is currently reporting on this project - WDBA/IA Gordie Howe International Bridge Project DBFM  (0046072015)

 

 

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Posted by Judy Lamelza

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