An incredible new £3.4bn bridge is set to link two major countries. Throughout the centuries, the human race has built some incredible structures that have defined the imagination and inspired generations to come.
Whether it’s the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Hadrian’s Wall, or the Taj Mahal, humanity has always strived to build things of beauty whether because of practicality, protection, or power.
Over the next few years, there are several ambitious projects that will either be completed or started. One of these projects is the Gordie Howe International Bridge in North America.
Costing around £3.4bn, it will link the American city of Detroit with Windsor in Canada, providing a route for traffic and commerce to travel between America and Canada.
This 2.5km (1.5mile) leviathan will be finished by the end of 2024 and according to channel Billion Dollar Builds will include a 12-foot-wide bicycle and walking lane.
The organisation behind the bridge have described it as a “once-in-a-generation undertaking” that will “deliver much-needed transportation improvements for international travellers”.
They added: “It will also provide jobs and opportunities for growth to the Windsor-Detroit region and includes features that make this project truly distinctive.”
The longest cable-stayed bridge in North America, the bridge will also be key for transport and two new ports are being built on either side of the river.
The bridge is named after a Canadian ice hockey player called Gordie Howe who played for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons.
While the bridge will be an impressive sight once completed, the New Civil Engineer said that like many major projects it has seen delays and massive cost hikes.
They said that an original November 2024 opening has had to be pushed back to 2025 because of the delays.
CEO of the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) Charl van Niekerk explained that the project had been severely affected by the pandemic and a need for safety.
Mr Niekerk explained: “After a three-year pandemic and considering the size and complexity of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.
“[Our] project team is pleased that the impact to the construction schedule is limited to only 10 months beyond the original contracted completion date and that we could agree on a reasonable adjustment to the contract value.
“With safety as our top priority, we will continue to work together to deliver this much-needed infrastructure to the thousands of eager travellers ready to cross North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge.”
