Detroit-Windsor | Gordie Howe International Bridge | 2,800' main span | U/C - Page 8

The North One · #**141** Posted **Jun 19, 2021, 10:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deja vu

It's a great shot, whoever took it.

TBH, I'm surprised this project isn't generating more discussion here on SSP. I know the Transportation section is less frequented. Maybe when things are further along folks will notice. These main span towers will eventually eclipse the height of the Renaissance Center!

It wont eclipse the ren cen height at least according to the their website. It'll get very close though.

deja vu · #**142** Posted **Jun 21, 2021, 1:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The North One

It wont eclipse the ren cen height at least according to the their website. It'll get very close though.

You're right, my mistake.

They will be within a few feet. 727 feet (222 m) to the roof of the Ren Cen (Wikipedia) vs. 722 feet (220 m) to the top of the main span bridge towers (Gordie Howe Int'l Bridge website).

And... maybe a few feet more in difference between the two, if you factor in true elevation (above sea level).

deja vu · #**143** Posted **Jun 25, 2021, 2:59 PM**

Check out these catwalks, recently installed on both sides to assist with construction efforts -

Source: Instagram | gordiehowebrg

Innsertnamehere · #**144** Posted **Jun 25, 2021, 3:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deja vu

You're right, my mistake.

They will be within a few feet. 727 feet (222 m) to the roof of the Ren Cen (Wikipedia) vs. 722 feet (220 m) to the top of the main span bridge towers (Gordie Howe Int'l Bridge website).

And... maybe a few feet more in difference between the two, if you factor in true elevation (above sea level).

The Canada side towers will be the third tallest structure in Canada outside of Toronto and Calgary, after only the Sudbury Superstack and Smelter Stack in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

I believe the Sudbury Superstack (chimney) is planned to get demolished in the next few years as well so it will be the second tallest soon.

deja vu · #**145** Posted **Jun 29, 2021, 1:44 PM**

A neat shot of the US-side tower legs in the foreground and the Canadian-side tower legs framed in the distance -

Source: Instagram | @gordiehowebrg

greatlakes · #**146** Posted **Jun 29, 2021, 3:45 PM**

Looks like some great progress. I was thinking that it would a good idea to convert the tunnel to pedestrian/bike/electric scooter only once the gordie howe bridge is open. The tunnel is right downtown in both Windsor and Detroit and it would be nice to have a safe, convenient option to travel without a car to the other side for dinner, concerts, sporting events, etc. Maybe even just test out "pedestrian only" on weekends to see if it would be popular.

The North One · #**147** Posted **Jun 29, 2021, 4:07 PM**

^ Highly doubt that would ever happen, you can always take the tunnel bus.

Steely Dan · #**148** Posted **Jun 29, 2021, 5:23 PM**

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't one of the new bridge's main goals to take US/canada thru-traffic off of the tunnel and ambassador bridge so that they can better handle local intra-city traffic between detroit and windsor?

my understanding is that the new bridge isn't really intended to replace the existing cross border infrastructure, just augment it by siphoning-off a good deal of the inter-city traffic that isn't local to the detroit/windsor area.

the new bridge is roughly 4 miles downstream from downtown, so it seems to me that maintaining that direct tunnel access from downtown detroit to downtown windsor would still have a lot of value to many local drivers who wouldn't want to loop around 10+ miles out of their way just to get from one downtown to the other.

Blitz · #**149** Posted **Jun 29, 2021, 5:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatlakes

Looks like some great progress. I was thinking that it would a good idea to convert the tunnel to pedestrian/bike/electric scooter only once the gordie howe bridge is open. The tunnel is right downtown in both Windsor and Detroit and it would be nice to have a safe, convenient option to travel without a car to the other side for dinner, concerts, sporting events, etc. Maybe even just test out "pedestrian only" on weekends to see if it would be popular.

That would be nice but I'd prefer if it was a gondola or something like that.

The tunnel is an important vehicular connection for commuters (thousands of Windsorites work in Detroit and have special passes to get through the tunnel quickly each day).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't one of the new bridge's main goals to take US/canada thru-traffic off of the tunnel and ambassador bridge so that they can better handle local intra-city traffic between detroit and windsor?

my understanding is that the new bridge isn't really intended to replace the existing cross border infrastructure, just augment it by siphoning-off a good deal of the inter-city traffic that isn't local to the detroit/windsor area.

A major goal of the new bridge is to get transport trucks off of Windsor streets where they currently are faced with about a dozen traffic lights since the province stupidly did not build Hwy 401 all the way to the border when they built it back in the '50s.

Steely Dan · #**150** Posted **Jun 29, 2021, 5:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz

A major goal of the new bridge is to get transport trucks off of Windsor streets where they currently are faced with about a dozen traffic lights since the province stupidly did not build Hwy 401 all the way to the border when they built it back in the '50s.

oh, didn't know about that.

and with the ambassador bridge closing in on the century mark, it's probably not a bad idea to get as much truck traffic off of it as possible going forward.

the tunnel has never allowed commercial truck traffic, correct?

Blitz · #**151** Posted **Jun 30, 2021, 6:12 PM**

^ Right, there are some decently sharp curves in the tunnel that make it impossible for trucks to fit in there.

MolsonExport · #**152** Posted **Jun 30, 2021, 7:25 PM**

cool photos

The North One · #**153** Posted **Jun 30, 2021, 9:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz

A major goal of the new bridge is to get transport trucks off of Windsor streets where they currently are faced with about a dozen traffic lights since the province stupidly did not build Hwy 401 all the way to the border when they built it back in the '50s.

And Canada does not want this trade crossing entirely under the control of a private owner (the Ambassador).

deja vu · #**154** Posted **Jul 19, 2021, 2:20 AM**

On July 1, 2021 - the Gordie Howe International Bridge team celebrated 1,000 days since the start of construction.

Quote:

1000 DAYS OF CONSTRUCTION

Coinciding with that, some then-and-now photos were published, which you can view in the website gallery here.

deja vu · #**155** Posted **Jul 31, 2021, 12:15 AM**

Port of Entry progress - Canadian side, posted July 26. Relaying all of the photos that aren't vast areas of dirt (b/c we've seen enough of that). You can look here for the rest -

Source: Gordie Howe International Bridge