A 1.5-mile bridge linking the U.S. with Canada is set to be completed this fall although it is unclear whether it will be open to traffic this year.
Officials said that construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, is due for completion soon but have not revealed when cars will be able to travel across the $5 billion structure.
Newsweek has reached out for comment to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority which is overseeing the project.
Why It Matters
First proposed in early 2000s, the Gordie Howe International Bridge spanning the Detroit River is a strategic project, which will be critical for trade flows between the U.S. and Canada, even at a time when relations are strained.
The Gordie Howe, financed by the Canadian federal government, is to be an alternative to the nearby privately owned Ambassador Bridge, which is the busiest international border crossing in North America, in terms of trade volume.
Construction began in 2018 and when opened, it will link Interstate 75 in Michigan with Highway 401 in Ontario, aiming to allow an uninterrupted freeway traffic flow, reducing bottlenecks.
What To Know
Heather Grondin, chief relations officer of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, told the Detroit News that construction on the $5.7 billion 2,700-foot-long bridge was about 98 percent completed and should be finished this fall.
Electrical, fire suppression and drainage systems still needed to be installed and barriers and fencing for the bridge’s path erected, according to the newspaper, which said that officials had predicted in March that the bridge could open as early as October.
Grondin told the outlet this week there was no firm timeframe for opening and ongoing testing and commissioning was still required.
Credit agency S&P Global Ratings has assessed the opening could be pushed back until early 2026 due to delays the new U.S. Customs Port of Entry complex, as well as work to be done around Interstate 75 and other areas near the construction.
Around 6,000 people are expected to use the bridge to commute to Detroit from Ontario each day.
Earlier this month, flyover footage of the bridge posted on social media showed the finishing touches were being worked on and noted how there were 5,000 white LED lights had been placed along the edge the deck, at the piers along the back span, at the stay cables and at the towers.
What People Are Saying
Construction publication the B1M in an X post: “One of the world’s biggest construction megaprojects is rapidly nearing completion.
“The Gordie Howe International Bridge is an epic cable-stayed structure that spans 853-metres across the Detroit River, linking the U.S. with Canada.”
Heather Grondin, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, said its opening was: "dependent on many factors, including the need to rectify any issues discovered during the ongoing testing and commissioning phase."
What Happens Next
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is entering its final phase before opening which is predicted to take place in 2026. Grondin said work is still ongoing at the 13 structures and 36 primary inspection lanes at the U.S. Port of Entry as well as the 11 structures and 24 primary inspection lanes at the Canadian Port of Entry.