HOWE BRIDGE GUARANTEED
Federal transport minister weighs in on border
With the political waters stirring over a recent deal to permit the replacement of the Ambassador Bridge, federal Transportation Minister Marc Garneau used a Friday visit to Windsor to guarantee that the Gordie Howe bridge will be built and the existing Ambassador Bridge must be torn down once a new crossing is built to replace it.
“Let me make it very clear, we need two bridges,” said Garneau, who is in the area for the Great Lakes Governors and Premiers Conference in Detroit and Windsor.
“The Gordie Howe bridge, I can assure you with 100 per cent certainty, will be built. We have had a commitment to this bridge.”
Garneau insisted the federal government wanted to eliminate any perception of doubt over that commitment after the issuing of the permit to the Canadian Transit Company (CTC) — owners of the Ambassador Bridge — and the delayed bidding process to select a contractor to build the Gordie Howe Bridge.
Garneau offered no date for when those bids would come in for the $4-billion Howe bridge project but did say the goal is to begin construction inside 14 months.
“As you know, we gave additional time to the short list of bidders to give additional information,” Garneau said.
“They will provide that information and we believe work will begin on the Gordie Howe bridge before the end of 2018.
“I’m not going to give you a date. We need to see the final bids and proposal to what their timelines are and what their costs are before we choose a winning bid.
“That will give us a better idea of when it’ll be completed.”
The new bridge was originally to be completed by 2020, but it’s now believed the 42-month build won’t be finished until closer to 2023.
Garneau was also adamant that the Ambassador Bridge wasn’t going to be left standing.
A local group’s proposal to turn the Ambassador Bridge into a public park and international crossing for foot and cycle traffic was dismissed as a non-starter.
“I’m aware of that,” Garneau said. “The bridge will have to come down.
“It’s a 90-year-old-plus bridge. We’re not prepared to accept the risks of a unused bridge, which has demonstrated that it’s deteriorated over time, for it to remain standing over the water.”
Garneau went further to say that without CTC’s commitment and filing of the required paperwork outlining details and the cost of that demolition, a new bridge will not be allowed. “The new (CTC) bridge will not be used unless there is a clear commitment to remove the old bridge after the new bridge is built,” Garneau said.
“If the Canadian Transit Corporation isn’t able to provide us with that information, the new bridge will not be authorized.”
Garneau said it’s also up to the bridge company to clear up any questions about the historical status of the bridge.
“The old bridge will continue to be used while the new bridge is built,” Garneau said. “Once the new bridge is in place, the old bridge will have to be torn down.
“The fact is that we will close the new bridge (if the old one isn’t torn down).”
In addition to discussing bridge crossings, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said the issue of the Ojibway Shores lands in the city’s west end was reviewed.
The Windsor Port Authority administers the land on behalf of the federal government. The city hopes to acquire the property to tie into the Ojibway Park ecosystem and create protected shore access for wildlife.
“The minister is aware of our position,” Dilkens said. “We’ve met many times with the port authority to find a resolution locally that satisfies the authority’s needs and the city’s needs. We will continue to have those meetings.”
Dilkens said council already has set aside $1.5-million for the acquisition of environmentally sensitive land with Ojibway Shores topping the list of priorities.
We need to see the final bids and proposal to what their timelines are and what their costs are before we choose a winning bid.