HOWE SPAN ON THE RISE
Underpinnings of massive tower readied while drains installed at Canadian plaza
Bridge work moves ahead
Construction is in full swing on the Gordie Howe International Bridge project as evidenced by an on-site tour provided Tuesday at the city’s far west end — site of the Canadian plaza for the long-awaited Detroit River crossing.
Dozens of workers and plenty of heavy equipment were visible with a primary focus on foundation work in preparation for the massive support towers — which will soon rival Detroit’s Renaissance Centre in height — required for the six-lane cable-stayed bridge.
Others were busy installing up to 150,000 wick drains, necessary for proper storm water drainage of the 130-acre bridge plaza site in Windsor. Nearly 50,000 of those have been installed to date.
Meanwhile, across the river massive cranes were visible on the Detroit side — where the bridge will connect with the industrial community of Delray — actively completing similar site preparation for the U.S. plaza of the new crossing which remains on schedule to open at the end of 2024.
“Being originally from Windsor and my parents being from Sandwich, it’s really great to see this iconic project now taking place,” said Bryce Phillips, CEO for the Windsor-detroit Bridge Authority, a federal government entity assigned to oversee construction. “It’s really energizing and exciting.
“What I tell people is we are now building the foundation for this big project. It’s been about a year of getting that foundation in place so we can then start going up.
Being originally from Windsor and my parents being from Sandwich, it’s really great to see this iconic project now taking place.
In a year from now, many people from their homes will be able to see those towers going up. Then work will be progressing on the (bridge) deck after that.”
Construction is ongoing at the bridge site 24 hours a day, six days a week. Once the wick drains are in place, the next step on the Windsor side involves 200 trucks per day bringing in aggregate fill and sand materials to put on top.
When current work on the
“drill shafts” and tower footings are completed, installation of the bridge’s massive tower — that will be in the shape of a large A — will begin next summer.
To date, there are 200 professional employees and another 200 construction workers on site daily on both sides of the border with more being hired every day as work ramps up. Peak employment on the Howe bridge project will occur between the years of 2021 and 2023 with up to 2,500 people employed.
“So far, we have not had any issues getting the labour we need,” said Aaron Epstein, CEO of Bridging
North America, the project’s contractor.
Much of the current construction work and deep drilling for the tower footings near the shores of the Detroit River is also noticeably occurring within a stone’s throw of the Windsor Salt company.
To date, there have been no concerns of salt mines being an issue during early construction, Phillips said.
“There was a lot of geotechnical work done in preparation to look for that kind of thing to make sure we are not installing critical footings over mine shafts,” he said. “That work is behind us, but it was looked at carefully for sure.
“Any time you go into the ground, you’re not sure what you will find. We are in an area now which has the most risk (for salt mines and soil conditions), but so far with our diggings there has been no surprises.”
On the Detroit side, there are still two properties remaining to be acquired among the 636 that were required for the bridge project. But there are no concerns they will soon be in hand through the expropriation process, Phillips said.
Construction on the U.S. side is slightly behind, since added work was required to beef up the river’s seawall for the project, Epstein said.
An observation deck in Windsor to view the building of the Howe bridge should start to be put in place in about a year, Phillips said.
Windsor’s residents are invited to see the latest on the Howe bridge project during an open house scheduled for Monday, Dec. 9, at Mackenzie Hall from 3 until 7 p.m.
For more information online about the project, visit Gordiehoweinternationalbridge.com.