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Bridging two nations: The Gordie Howe International Bridge
Set to be complete by the end of 2024, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is now rising up from either shore of the Detroit River, soon to dominate Windsor and Detroit’s skyline and bring economic benefits to both Canada and the U.S.
By Paul Adair
Gordie Howe was born in Floral, Saskatchewan in 1928 and became famous playing for a quarter century with the Detroit Red Wings and winning the Stanley Cup four times. A 23-time NHL All-Star, Howe is today considered the most complete player in hockey, the creator of the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” (one goal, one assist, and a fight), one of the greatest to ever play the game.
“A proud, Canadian-born hockey player and having played for the Detroit Red Wings, which many in Windsor consider their team, Gordie Howe was a beloved and bi-national figure that was a very appropriate namesake for this bridge,” says Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) spokesperson Mark Butler. “Mr. Hockey was also well-known as being a tenacious fighter, and this bridge − with more than 20 years of planning and work behind it – certainly exemplifies that.”
With construction officially commencing in 2018, the Gordie Howe International Bridge project is much more than a bridge. It’s a once-in-a-generation undertaking that not only delivers muchneeded transportation improvements for international travellers, but also brings significant economic development to the Windsor-Detroit region, and myriad features that truly sets this project apart in terms of scale and scope.
The 74-month construction project is being delivered through a public-private partnership (P3), a long-term, performance-based approach where Canada finances the entirety of the construction, but the State of Michigan receives ownership of their half of the project. Over time, Canada will be fully repaid its con-
“Gordie Howe was a beloved and bi-national figure that was a very appropriate namesake for this bridge.” – Mark Butler, WDBA
tribution through the collection of tolls, at which point Michigan will start receiving their percentage of tolls for their ownership.
WDBA’s private sector partner is Bridging North America (BNA), a builddesign team of three separate primes, each experts in their fields of international construction: Fluor, Aecon, and Dragados Canada. As part of the WDBA agreement, BNA will also be responsible for the operations and maintenance of the Gordie Howe International Bridge − as well as the two ports of entry, once complete − for a period of 30 years.
“Bridging North America is honoured to be a long-term partner with WDBA to deliver one of North America’s largest infrastructure projects,” says Bridging North America CEO Aaron Epstein. “We are committed to the success of the Gordie Howe International Bridge and look forward to building prosperity and empowering progress for the Windsor- Essex and Detroit area.”
There are four major components to the $5.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge project: the bridge itself, the Canadian and U.S. Ports of Entry (POE), and the Michigan Interchange.
“Each component would represent a substantial construction activity,” says Butler. “But all together, in terms of scale and costs, this is one of the largest infrastructure projects currently underway in North America. The U.S. Port of Entry alone will be the largest of any in the country, including those along the border shared with Mexico.”
The bridge, however, is the most visible aspect of this project. When complete in just three years time, the bridge deck for the Gordie Howe International Bridge will climb 42 metres (138 feet) over the water of the beautiful Detroit River. The 2.5-kilometre (1.5-mile) bridge is a modern, cable-stayed design featuring six, skid resistant lanes (three each way), with a clear span of 853 metres (0.53 miles) − the longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge in North America and among the top five longest bridges in North America.
After years of preparatory work − such as acquiring the property, taking away pre-existing structures, and soil remediation and consolidation − the mas-
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“In terms of scale and costs, this is one of the largest infrastructure projects currently underway in North America today.” – Mark Butler, WDBA
sive bridge towers are just now starting to take shape. Currently standing at approximately 35 metres (115 feet), the towers will ultimately soar 220 metres (720 feet) in the air and are designed to resemble the curvature of a hockey stick held in mid-shot.
But before contractors can build up, they first needed to dig down. The bridge towers are held up by two legs, with each leg having six shafts drilled to bedrock for support. Because the environmental assessment prohibited construction in the water to protect water quality, fish migration, and navigation on the Detroit River, all construction on the towers needed to be done along the shoreline on either side of the river. This land/water interface created a significant challenge for the build team, in that the water table for both the U.S. and Canadian sides of the river is markedly different.
“We employed a very significant soilstabilization system that made use of wick drains driven into the ground, which drew the moisture out of the piles as pre-load/surcharge was placed and compressed the soils,” says Butler. “It consolidated the ground much more quickly than if we just put down surcharge, and it worked to create a very firm foundation for us to build the towers on.”
In addition to mitigating an uneven water table, there was also a nearby Windsor Salt mine running under the Detroit River and adjacent to the project’s Canadian side to further complicate matters. Salt mines extract salt through a process known as solution mining, whereby water is injected into salt deposits underground to force a briny solution up and out, to be then dried and processed. This process also has the effect of creating large fissures that, given the age of this mine, went unmapped. The danger of these fissures is cavern collapse, which, while uncommon, are not unheard of.
“So we went through a very significant, long, and expensive geotechnical investigation where we drilled test holes across a wide swath to confirm that where we were building was not over an existing salt mine or nearby cavern, and to ensure that our massive bridge towers would be stable,” says Butler.
Not only will the Gordie Howe International Bridge physically connect Canada and the United States, it will also present a colourful display of culture during construction. As the bridge towers rise from the ground on either side of the Detroit River, murals will adorn the tower cranes to share the history of the lands on which the bridge is being built.
Artists Teresa Altiman and Daisy White of Walpole Island First Nation, and Naomi Peters of Caldwell First Nation were selected to create murals for display at the Canadian bridge site as part of the project Community Benefits Plan, which identifies opportunities for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Urban artist Villalobos (aka “BearLobos”) from Southwest Detroit was also selected to create artwork for the U.S. bridge site, which honours the culture of the predominantly Hispanic Delray
neighbourhood, as well as some of Detroit’s iconic scenes and landmarks.
“The hoarding on the tower crane climbing systems would typically feature some sort of branding, like the name of the bridge or company logo,” says Butler. “But it was the workers on site who suggested that we could maybe showcase art instead. This artwork is on the structure now and will remain for the next two years or so before being repurposed when the bridge is complete.”
Sustainable construction practices were used to construct buildings on both sides of the Detroit River, and the project was recently recognized for its innovative way of tracking environmental requirements during construction by the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP). The Canadian and U.S. Port of Entry facilities are designed to meet LEED v4 Silver rating, and the bridge and Michigan Interchange are designed to meet Envision Silver rating, both of which will ensure longevity while minimizing environmental impact.
Collectively, the border crossings at Windsor-Detroit represent the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States, accounting for more than 25 per cent of all the bilateral trade between the two nations. As such, the Gordie Howe international Bridge will be an economic driver for the region, not only during construction when an estimated 2,500 jobs are expected to be created, as well as many other direct and indirect employment opportunities, but for decades to come.
“But more than jobs and trade, this will be a beautiful bridge that will forever change the landscape of Windsor-Detroit,” says Butler. “It will become postcard material, and I can see people coming not only because they want to travel between Canada and the US, but just because they want to look at this marvellous piece of architecture. The future is very bright for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.” l
