The new border crossing between Windsor and Detroit will be a cable-stayed bridge and Bridging North America will build it.
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority made the much-anticipated announcement Thursday morning at the University of Windsor's School of Creative Arts in the old Armouries in downtown Windsor.
Full costing of the project is still not available, but the financial close will be released in the fall, and at that time we should find out how much construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge will cost the Canadian government.
"We'll have that by the end of September of this year," said Authority Spokesman Mark Butler. "At that point in time, we'll be able to announce the contract costs as well more substantive details about the timeline and service date."
The Canadian government will pay for the construction of the bridge, the Canadian border plaza, and the U.S. border plaza and will recoup the cost through tolls.
Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority Vice-President, Heather Grondin July 5, 2018 (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
Authority Vice-President Heather Grondin says Bridging North America had the highest score of three proponents who submitted bids to a request for proposals in November 2016. She expects demand for workers will be very high and says part of the evaluation process focused on local hiring.
"These are the people who know the site the best, know the community the best, know the suppliers the best and can deliver a tough job according to a tough job and a dollar amount," she said.
The bridge will span 853m across the Detroit River, with views of the Detroit skyline and rival the Renaissance Centre for height. It will have three lanes of traffic in each direction and include a multi-use path. The Windsor port of entry will be the largest in Canada, while the Detroit port of entry will also be among the biggest in North America.
Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority Chair, Dwight Duncan July 5, 2018 (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
Recently, the company that owns the Ambassador Bridge appealed to U.S. President Trump to revoke the presidential permit to build the new span, but Authority Chair Dwight Duncan was unequivocal; the project will go ahead.
"This bridge is going ahead," he insisted. "I remember them running ads when we did the Herb Gray Pkwy. that said it was the road to nowhere. Well, that road going to this bridge which is being built."
Major construction will start in September, and it is expected to open five years later.