{"id":369184,"date":"2024-07-04T04:00:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-04T08:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canada.constructconnect.com\/?p=369184"},"modified":"2024-09-20T12:03:28","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T16:03:28","slug":"gordie-howe-bridge-what-was-involved-in-creating-the-final-link-for-an-international-crossing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canada.constructconnect.com\/dcn\/news\/usa\/2024\/07\/gordie-howe-bridge-what-was-involved-in-creating-the-final-link-for-an-international-crossing","title":{"rendered":"Gordie Howe bridge: What was involved in creating the final link for an international crossing?"},"content":{"rendered":"
It was a dramatic scene overnight on June 14 when, under balloon lights, the final segment of the Gordie Howe International bridge<\/a> between Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, Mich. was set in place.<\/p>\n Ironworkers and operating engineers from both the Canadian and U.S. sides, with their countries\u2019 flags hovering from crane cables above, worked until dawn to install the final piece that officially created the third international crossing between the two cities, after the Ambassador Bridge and Windsor\u2013Detroit Tunnel, both almost 100 years old.<\/p>\n Weather conditions were monitored and installation of the mid-span closure was left until night when temperatures were cooler reducing the risk of steel expansion.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the end, our planning and measurements monitoring worked. The edge girders fit perfectly into place,\u201d said Jaime Castro-Maier, Bridging North America<\/a> consortium lead Canadian engineer.<\/p>\n This followed installation a few days earlier of six temporary bracing pieces (closure beams, wind struts, and transverse cranks) to keep the deck aligned. Bridge construction began in December 2022 and consisted of 54 segments, 27 built out from towers on both the U.S. and Canadian sides.<\/p>\n