'An honor': Gordie Howe Bridge closer to completion as crews to connect bridge deck

Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press
·3 min read

The roar of machinery hums below looming 722-foot towers mixed with a waterfront breeze as workers push forward on Detroit's Gordie Howe International Bridge this spring.

Crews are reaching the final stretch of building the Gordie Howe International Bridge deck, with a little over a year left in the bridge project. Construction of the bridge began in fall 2018 and construction on the bridge deck began in December 2022, with the opening timeline delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's an honor to be out here, I'm very blessed to be out here, to be part of history," said labor foreman Jayne Griffor.

Crews have built up the bridge deck on the Detroit and Windsor sides of the Detroit River, with the deck set to be connected in the next four to six weeks. The process includes installing a 49-foot segment on the Detroit side of the bridge, then completing the final segment, the mid-span closure.

Cranes on the Canadian and U.S. sides work to help build the Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The bridge is in the final steps of connecting the two sides, with only 85 feet remaining. The connection should be completed by the end of June.
Cranes on the Canadian and U.S. sides work to help build the Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The bridge is in the final steps of connecting the two sides, with only 85 feet remaining. The connection should be completed by the end of June.

"Achieving the bridge deck connection is monumental in the progress on the Gordie Howe International Bridge project," said Charl van Niekerk, CEO of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. "This new bridge is the physical representation of the international cooperation that exists between the neighboring communities in Windsor and Detroit, throughout Ontario and Michigan, and across North America."

More: The ultimate Michigan pronunciation guide: 50 names you might be saying wrong

More: Take a break from your road trip at these 6 weird, quirky Michigan roadside attractions

The historic development will change the Detroit skyline for generations, with the bridge's 125-year lifespan complementing traffic from the Ambassador Bridge. The Gordie Howe International Bridge will serve as a key trade point on the U.S.-Canadian border, with around $13 million in investments made in Detroit and Windsor initiatives since 2019. The project includes a contract valued at about $4.8 billion ($6.4 billion Canadian).

With the Detroit skyline in the background, workers on the Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, wait for parts during construction. The bridge is in the final steps of connecting the two sides, with only 85 feet remaining. The connection should be completed by the end of June.
With the Detroit skyline in the background, workers on the Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, wait for parts during construction. The bridge is in the final steps of connecting the two sides, with only 85 feet remaining. The connection should be completed by the end of June.

"What we're focusing right now on is the benefit that comes with this bridge, the economic opportunities, the movement of trade through this corridor, which is the very reason why we're here, it's why we're building this bridge," said Heather Grondin, chief relations officer for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

The new landmark looks over the river with a 722-foot tower and a matching 722-foot tower across the border in Windsor. The bridge will run 1½ miles long, with the bridge deck 0.53 miles long — the longest main span of a cable-stayed bridge in North America, officials said.

"It's exhilarating being up there, it's amazing views of the city and Downriver, it's great," Griffor said.

Jayne Griffor, one of the many builders of the Gordie Howe Bridge for the Bridging North America, talks about the joy it has been for her to help construct the bridge. She was answering questions from the media underneath the bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
Jayne Griffor, one of the many builders of the Gordie Howe Bridge for the Bridging North America, talks about the joy it has been for her to help construct the bridge. She was answering questions from the media underneath the bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

While the bridge deck is set to be connected this summer, key work will remain to prepare the bridge for opening. Crews will get to work installing electrical, fire suppression, and drainage systems, barriers, signage, lighting, deck paving, pavement markings, stressing stay cables, and completing the bridge's multiuse path, officials said.

The multiyear project brings together workers from across all walks of life and a variety of trades — driven by a common purpose to expand the region's transportation infrastructure. Thus far, over 11,000 trained workers have contributed over 13 million hours to building this bridge, Grondin said. While the project reaches its final stages, bonds forged on the job will remain long after the last truck leaves the construction site.

"It is a big family out here, but the friendships that we've made and the amount of hours we've spent together out here, it'll last a lifetime," Griffor said.

Officials expect the bridge deck to be connected by the end of June. The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set for completion in September 2025.

Steel cable is wrapped in a rubber coating to help protect it from the elements. This cable supports the large span of the Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
Steel cable is wrapped in a rubber coating to help protect it from the elements. This cable supports the large span of the Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gordie Howe Bridge inches closer to target completion