Gordie Howe International Bridge deck connects in key milestone; work to continue

Workers from the U.S. and Canada connected the Gordie Howe International Bridge deck Friday morning — a key milestone as construction moves forward on the international crossing over the Detroit River.

Crews installed the final two edge girders connecting the bridge deck, according to the bridge's Facebook page. The historic moment marks the next step forward for the multiyear project, with Canadian and U.S. ironworkers shaking hands over the newly linked bridge, which is scheduled to be completed next year.

Construction of the bridge began in fall 2018 and construction on the bridge deck began in December 2022, with the opening timeline delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bridge deck was simultaneously built out from both sides of the river to meet in the middle.

The historic development will change the Detroit skyline for generations, with the bridge's 125-year lifespan complementing traffic on the nearby Ambassador Bridge. The Gordie Howe International Bridge will serve as a key trade point on the U.S.-Canadian border, with about $13 million in investments made in Detroit and Windsor initiatives since 2019. The project includes a contract valued at about $4.8 billion ($6.4 billion Canadian).

The new landmark looks over the river with a 722-foot tower and a matching 722-foot tower across the border in Windsor. The bridge will run 1½ miles long, with the bridge deck 0.53 miles long — the longest main span of a cable-stayed bridge in North America, officials said.

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More work remains ahead of next year's opening, with crews installing electrical, fire suppression, and drainage systems, barriers, signage, lighting, deck paving, pavement markings, stressing stay cables, and completing the bridge's multiuse path, officials said.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set for completion in September 2025.