Gordie Howe Bridge completion date likely in 2025, later than initial estimates: officials

Officials behind Gordie Howe International Bridge projectsaythattraffic may not flow over the crossinguntil sometime in 2025, despite a previous completion target of by the end of 2024.

"The schedule currently shows 2024," Michael Hatchell, the CEO for Bridging North America the private-sector consortium building the bridge said at a media event on Wednesday.

"We don't have a final date we've agreed to yet with the [Detroit-Windsor Bridge Authority], it's something we're working with them on."

"I would expect it to be in 2025, for sure."

• Material supply, strikes, COVID-19 drive potential delays on Gordie Howe bridge: construction association
• Board overseeing new Canada-U.S. bridge project has 'significant deficiency' in oversight, audit finds

The $5.6-billion bridge betweenbetween Windsor and Detroit will bethe largest cable-stayed bridge in North America.

Hatchell said the bumped-up date hasto do with the impacts COVID-19 had on the project, but he would not speculate on when in 2025 the completion might take place.

"We still deal with itand still have to deal with it, but we've got processes in place to work with it as we're going forward," he said.

When asked earlier this year about an S&P Global reportthatsuggestedthe bridge project may be delayed, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (DWBA) the Crown corporation overseeing the project said that it was still working toward the goal of having first traffic cross the bridge at the end of 2024, however, issuescould come up that would impact the schedule.

Hatchell said they have dealt with supply chain issues and moved on.

Progress

Hatchell said the legs of the bridge are done and they have built about 152metresof the final spire, which will be nearly 220 metres high.

The deck coming back toward the land on the Canadian side of the project is under constructionand Hatchell said that they will begin on the U.S. side of deck construction next year.

At thattime, construction of the cables coming down to the deck will also begin.

Boost in community benefits

There will be a greater share of community benefits flowing out of the Gordie Howe Bridge Project next year, officials said.

TheGordie Howe International Bridge team said that the annual funding envelope for projectshas increased to $200,000 per year, split evenly between Windsor and Detroit,for the remaining two years of the Community Benefits Plan.

Initially, non-profit or charitable organizations located in or serving Sandwich/West Windsor and Delray/Southwest Detroit communities could access up to $50,000 but now they are able to access up to $100,000.

"It is our hope that this additional funding will continue to inspire creativity amongcommunity organizations to develop meaningful programs and events that work to drive change and provide positive outcomes for local residents and families," said Heather Grondin of the DWBA.

Irene Moore Davis, president of the Essex County Black Historical Research Society, said the funding has allowed her organization to create three short documentaries that celebrate the history of the Underground Railroad as it pertains to the area.

"We're so thrilled that we're able to do that," she said. "This bridge project really touches on two areas in Canada and U.S.that were so significant to the history of the Underground Railroad, where literally tens ofthousands of freedom seekers crossed."

Applications for between $1,000 and $25,000 can be made until Jan.25, 2023.

According to bridge officials, $300,000has been invested in 26 different projectsin thefirst three years of the bridge project.

Nadja Pelkey,the associate curator of projects and partnerships at Art Windsor-Essex, said that they've previously done projects, including an exhibition with artists who did the art on the spires of the bridge, and are currently working on two other projects they have yet to announce.

"The artwork that the bridge incorporates will be there for generations, so we're excited to find ways to partner with them on sort of telling the story on how art and infrastructure connect," she said.