Gordie Howe International Bridge construction reaches 'significant' milestone

A progress photo of the Gordie Howe International Bridge taken in September 2023. (Source: gordiehoweinternationalbridge.com)

CTV News Windsor has learned the tower on the Canadian side of the Gordie Howe International Bridge has now reached its full height.

The tower on the American side of the span reached its full height this past August, according to Heather Grondin, vice-president for the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA).

“The towers are significant,” said Grondin. “They hold the weight of the bridge, not just the bridge itself, but also the future traffic and they hold the cables that attach from the road deck to the towers themselves.”

Each tower climbs 722 feet – or 220 meters – into the sky.

Completing this phase of the project, Grondin said, is also a significant milestone for the entire community.

“People can really start recognizing what the cable stay bridge design means for the skyline,” she said.

Grondin admitted there is some healthy competition between the workers in Canada and the United States on each phase of the project.

When it comes to the towers, she said, Canada lost this round, but workers here were successful on a different part of the work.

“The Canadian road deck - so the part over the road - was further advanced than the US side,” said Grondin. “So it's ‘give and take’, all friendly bets. No wagers. No money involved. Just bragging rights?”

To coincide with the conclusion of the Canadian tower height, WDBA produced a 10-minute video about this part of the project.