First Services Contract Awarded for Gordie Howe International Bridge
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority awarded the $61 million contract to Parsons Inc. as it prepares to begin construction of the bridge later this year.
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority this month awarded a $61 million contract to Parsons Inc., designating the company as the Owner's Engineer as it prepares to begin construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge later this year. The new bridge will be built between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, and this is the first contract the authority has awarded for services related to the design-build phase of the project.
Beginning in April, Parsons will support the owner – WDBA – through design review, providing technical advice, and monitoring and overseeing the construction activities of the private-sector partner through inspections, compliance reviews, and audits. WDBA soon will announce its Preferred Proponent and begin final contractual negotiations.
"As we finalize our procurement process to select a private-sector partner to deliver the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, it is important that we take steps now to prepare for the start of significant construction. In addition to getting the sites ready through preparatory activities, we are getting our organization ready to manage the project with appointing Parsons as our Owner's Engineer being our first critical step," said André Juneau, interim chief executive officer of the authority.
The authority is a not-for-profit Canadian Crown corporation created to manage the procurement process for the design, building, financing, operation, and maintenance of the bridge through a public-private partnership. The Windsor-Detroit trade corridor is the busiest commercial land border crossing on the Canada-U.S. border, handling 31 percent of Canada-U.S. trade carried by truck. The corridor is currently served by the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry, and the Detroit River rail tunnel. The new bridge will provide additional capacity, shorten trip times, and reduce congestion and traffic delays at the border.
"Parsons is excited to serve as WDBA's Owner's Engineer and to be involved with this historic project. We have a proven track-record on major infrastructure projects around the world, and we look forward to collaborating with Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority to build the Gordie Howe International Bridge," said Mike Johnson, president of Parsons Infrastructure.
The publicly owned bridge will have six lanes, border inspection plazas, and direct connections to Highway 401 in Ontario and Interstate 75 in Michigan. It is expected to be completed and in use in 2020.
A video showing an October 2017 flyover of the Canadian port of entry point is available here.