Resident in the US city of Detroit and those across the Detroit River in Windsor, Canada are confused, according to local media reports. The opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge that was set for June 12 has again been delayed. Construction started in mid-2018.
But US president Donald Trump has held the opening of the bridge hostage since last Christmas when it was finished and set for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Trump believes the ‘deal’ of the new bridge is not beneficial to the US. Officials from his administration and those of the Canadian government are in negotiations about how the bridge will be operated. This is despite a deal already in place, agreed by the US state of Michigan, the government of Canada the province of Ontario.
When it does open, the bridge will be a 2.7km six-lane crossing of the Detroit River, bypassing Detroit and Windsor city centres to connect the I-75 in Detroit to Highway 401 in Canada. The project includes 2.5km-long cable-stayed bridge with six lanes (three Canadian-bound and three US-bound), and two approach bridges. There is a 130-acre Canadian port of entry and a 148-acre US port of entry.
When open, the bridge will take some of the traffic off the privately US-owned Ambassador Bridge that connects to centres of the two cities – an issue for causing congestion. The new bridge is designed for much faster processing of international crossing, both pleasure and commercial. It incorporates numerous inspection lanes, advanced truck processing systems and a toll transponder system capable of handling 400 vehicles per hour per station.
The bridge is an agreement between the US state of Michigan, Ontario – across the river from Detroit – and the federal Canadian government. Cost of building the bridge was covered entirely by Canada, including that for the large customs areas on the US side of the bridge. In its most basic shape, the deal is that Canada will recoup construction and operating costs through tolls.
Last week, Chuck Andary, Interim chief executive and chief legal officer the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, owner of the new crossing, issued a conciliatory statement on the WDBA website. “The Gordie Howe International Bridge will be a vital economic link for Canada and the United States. As we work towards an opening date, we are taking a collaborative approach, reflecting our shared ambition for this trade corridor. Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, taking the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues. We appreciate the efforts of workers on both sides of the border to get the bridge to its current state of readiness,” he said.
The bridge is owned by the Windsors-Detroit Bridge Authority. Under a public-private partnership (P3) contract, Bridging North America (BNA) is the authority’s private-sector partner that holds the design, build, finance, operate and maintain contract for the bridge and the Canadian and US ports of entry.
BNA is a consortium comprised of Aecon, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Fluor Canada. Developed through a fixed-price contract, the project involves two phases: the design-build (DB) phase and the 30-year operation, maintenance and rehabilitation (OMR) phase. The consortium reached financial close in September 2018, granting Aecon – which led the design team – a 20 per cent interest in the equity, DB and OMR partnerships.
BNA also holds the design, build and finance P£ contract for the Michigan Interchange. Michigan, however, will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the interchange.
