Freighter passing under Gordie Howe Bridge by Ryan Jake Jakubowski
The Detroit News digs into emerging signs that the planned Fall 2025 opening of the Gordie Howe will be delayed due to issues with new construction at the US Port of Entry & multiple links to the bridge in southwest Detroit:
…The S&P analysis said delays at the future U.S. Port of Entry “may delay substantial completion by about six months.” The 167-acre U.S. Port of Entry includes border protection facilities for passenger and commercial vehicle and maintenance facilities. The southern edge of the complex is on the 6300 block of West Jefferson Avenue near Historic Fort Wayne in the Delray neighborhood.
The S&P analysis pointed out that a key “handover date” was missed last September that would have allowed U.S Customs to begin its six months of work needed to make the facilities ready to open. That new target for the handover date was July 31. It is unclear if the handover occurred. The WBDA cited security concerns that won’t allow it to comment on “certain aspects” of the U.S. Port of Entry.
Completion of the Michigan interchange portion of the project in southwest Detroit is not expected to be done until Aug. 31, more than 120 days longer than contractually planned, the S&P report said. The work involves building four new road bridges, five new pedestrian bridges and four bridges crossing a railway and connecting to I-75. Work on this can be seen on blocks of Fort Street, I-75 and the freeway service drive. Bridge officials said that various aspects of the Michigan Interchange work continue but did not give a completion date.
Read on for more but it’s sounding like we might not be riding bikes to Canada on the Gordie Howe this fall after all. 🫤
Ryan shares that this is one of his favorite shots of the new bridge. Click the pic to follow him on Facebook & head over to J&C Photography to view & purchase his work and to hire him for photographic services including drone photography & 360 degree panoramas.
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I like Ryan’s shot of the “Algosolis” passing beneath the Gordie Howe Bridge. I didn’t know about the delayed opening – how did I miss that news? That’s too bad, after you and so many others were looking forward to riding your bikes and/or walking across this Fall. [It’s like Sterling State Park in Monroe that has been doing some much-needed repair to the trails where tree roots had lifted the asphalt, plus building a new fishing deck. It was supposed to be done the end of June – now expected in the Fall, no specific date.]
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Crain’s put something out right around when I posted the Bike the Bridge post. I have since seen more confirmation of their guess & no pushback so once it hit the mainstream news I figured everyone who would want to weigh in (Canada, US, construction companies, ec) would have a chance. The big problem is that we are down almost half a million construction workers nationwide and I don’t think that includes road workers. Even if it does, you have to figure road crews have lost a lot of workers. Add in the chaos in the materials & equipment market and it’s feeling miraculous that anything at all is getting done
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That’s a shame as it would have been nice to happen this Fall. Well, hopefully any work can be done in the Winter months, before the cutoff for cold temps as to cement curing. Yes, lots of factors as you have listed, so it’s easy to see why and they’ll open in the Spring. I’m sure less people will consider a job in road construction with all the accidents/deaths in work zones anymore.
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