In 2021, one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the sweeping illness, supply chain delays, material prices, and lockdowns that ground major construction projects to a halt, seemed to be easing.
“My theory about that is that a lot of projects that were postponed earlier in the pandemic are now coming back to life, and so contractors are getting busy again.” – Anirban Basu, ABC Chief Economist in mid-2021.
But residential construction rebounded much more quickly than commercial construction or infrastructure projects. It would take several years for those shelved and interrupted jobs to get back on track toward completion, with many large projects adding months or years to their completion dates, and millions of dollars in additional funds.
One of those large-scale projects was the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Begun in 2018 with an anticipated completion date of November 2024 at a cost of just over $4 billion, it is now expected to open in September of 2025 with a final price tag of $4.7 billion: adding 10 months and $523.6 million to its final project tally.
According to a press release issued by the Gordie Howe International Bridge Media Relations Team, “[T]he project, like many others, experienced unprecedented disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The disruptions were even more prevalent for the Gordie Howe International Bride project given the differing applicable restrictions in the US and Canada, combined with the ramping up of construction activities in early 2020.”
“After a three-year pandemic and considering the size and complexity of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, our project team is pleased that the impact to the construction schedule is limited to only 10 months beyond the original contracted completion date and that we could agree on a reasonable adjustment to the contract value. With safety as our top priority, we will continue to work together to deliver this much needed infrastructure to the thousands of eager travellers ready to cross North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge,” said Charl can Neikerk, CEO Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, as part of the release.
In Windsor, Ontario, Canada, some of the additional time and money is going into the Sandwich Street Reconstruction project, that includes a $1 million (CAN) streetscape enhancement.
And on the Detroit side of the bridge, Michigan Department of Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich cited a pledge by the project consortium of expanded community benefits for Southwest Detroit with the addition of cycling lanes to streets on the Michigan side, expanding a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists on the bridge.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge By The Numbers
2018 – Construction commenced
69,000+ gals. – Amount of concrete used for the tower shafts
3,461 c.f. – Amount of concrete poured for each tower segment
55 tons – Amount of rebar in each tower segment
216 – Number of stay cables that will ultimately support the bridge
2,500 – Approximate number of workers involved in the project
721.8 ft. – Height of each tower
1.5 mi. – Total bridge span
55 – Number of bridge deck segments
$4.7 billion – Final projected cost in U.S. dollars
What is a Cable-Stayed Bridge?
A cable-stayed bridge is a form of design and construction that requires the weight of the concrete bridge deck to be supported by a number of diagonal cables that are tensioned, running to one or more vertical towers, that transfer the tension/force of the cables through the foundation via vertical compression. They are usually built in what’s known as cantilevered construction that begins with sinking concrete caissons deep into the riverbed to transfer that force into the earth.
One interesting facet of cable-stayed bridge building is that when a cable is installed, it’s opposing cable (the one that carries force in the opposite direction) must be installed immediately after to keep the deck level and properly supported. Each deck section is constructed thusly, and has to be prestressed before construction of the next deck segment can continue.
What Still Needs to be Done?
According to a recent article in Construction Dive, three elements of the project: the Canadian and U.S. ports of entry, and the Michigan Interchange are being constructed at the same time. That work includes;
Canadian Port of Entry – All building interior work & finishing
U.S. Port of Entry – Interior & finishing work on over 50% of the buildings
Michigan Interchange – Installing girders on the I-75 ramps leading to the U.S. port of entry
Who is Building & Who is Paying?
Construction is being run via a joint venture called Bridging North America (BNA), which includes Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada, and Aecon Group, Inc. BNA’s contract includes 30 years of bridge operation and maintenance, putting the final estimated contract amount at about $4.8 billion according to ENR Midwest.
Funding for the project was raised through a public-private partnership (P3) named the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), a not-for-profit Canadian Crown corporation. This type of funding scheme has been on the rise in the U.S. on a state-by-state basis. The additional funding was approved in January 2024 to extend the project timeline and finish the job.
Ultimately, whether it took five years or six to complete, the bridge will stand as a monumental bi-lateral architectural, construction, and infrastructure achievement. The main deck, constructed in segments, topped out across the Detroit River in July of 2024, completing deck construction on the 1.5 mile, six-lane bridge. When finished, it will be the 10th largest bridge in the United States. Other work that remains to complete the entire project by fall of 2025 includes stressing the stay cables, installing fire suppression, drainage, and electrical systems, adding lights and signs, and paving and painting the bridge deck.
Every portion of a project of this size requires exceptional existing conditions documentation, damage control measures, and exceptional project management. From locating and mapping utility infrastructure on both sides of the river to providing cutting and coring clearances for post tension concrete and steel reinforced slabs, to capturing construction progress for stakeholders; one of the most challenging components is managing the sheer volume of data required to bring the job in safely. GPRS provides existing conditions documentation, subsurface damage prevention, and project management solutions for the AEC and related industries throughout the U.S.
GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® for customers nationwide. What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does topping out a bridge mean?
No one can trace the exact origins of calling connecting final bridge spans in the center “topping out,” but it has become a time-honored tradition among steel workers in the U.S. When the final I-beam installation or deck weld is completed for the frame of a steel reinforced project, a “topping out” ceremony is observed. Oddly, that ceremony often includes a small Christmas tree, erected at the tallest point.
Some in the AEC world claim the ceremony can be traced to 621 B.C. Rome, but their macabre celebration included tossing human sacrifices into the Tiber River. Others point to 700 A.D. in Scandinavia, where the custom was to hoist an evergreen onto the top ridgepole to welcome the “birth” of the new building.
To this day, construction crews the world over will still place a small (usually artificial) Christmas tree atop the area of their final framing. The addition of the American flag came in 1919, prior to unionization of construction and steel workers, as a protest against “The American Plan.” Over the last 30-40 years, most U.S. large and high-rise projects contain at least the American flag, and often a Christmas tree at their topping out.
How does GRPS support large-scale construction projects?
GPRS provides industry-leading subsurface damage prevention services, existing conditions documentation & data capture, and project management solutions for the architectural, engineering, construction, and related industries. Our services can help you build better, from planning through O&M, to keep you on time, on budget, and most importantly, safe. Learn more about GPRS, here.
