Gordie Howe International Bridge: 5 questions we asked architect as construction continues along U.S.-Canada border

Erik Behrens offers update as project continues to move along

The weather might be getting colder, but no doubt the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge is heating up as it progresses into its later stages.

The bridge is expected to transform the transportation and shipping industries between the U.S. and Canada, providing economic impacts for generations.

It’s a modern marvel being built right in front of our eyes.

Erik Behrens, the architect of the project, was in town from the United Kingdom recently to check up on construction and provides an update on how things are going by answering five key questions.

Of course, one big question people are wondering is, when will the two decks being constructed on opposite sides of the Detroit River be connected in the middle? That is answered further down in this article. But before then, here are other key updates Behrens provided.

Erik Behrens, architect of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, surveys construction progress. Courtesy photo (Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority)

1. How will lighting add to the beauty of the bridge?

Lighting mock-ups were done earlier this month, and once the lighting system is fully functional, Behrens said it will make the bridge an icon for everyone to view.

“During the night time, the bridge will really come alive,” he said. “All the key bridge components will be illuminated. The towers, the stay cables, the piers and the bridge deck, including the side and approach spans from the U.S. to Canada port of entry.”

Behrens also said in the coming months, the construction team will work with an artist to develop some light shows.

“We obviously have to balance here artistic aspirations with also environmental requirements,” he said. “The shows will be more subtle but beautiful. “Without a doubt the bridge will become a light sculpture and transformational work of public art.”

2. What are the bridge’s architecture and design aspirations?

Behrens said that from the first day the project started, they wanted to create an elegant and timeless structure. Here is what he said will be some features of the bridge when it’s done:

• The two towers with their imposing height at more than 200 meters will create two magnificent portals either side of the river.
• The fan-shaped arrangement of cables launch the 853 meter-long bridge deck across the river.
• The bridge deck floats high above the water in a smooth arch and transitions seamlessly into the side spans at either end.
• The 320-meter long side spans either side are completed by the 12 backstay cables and pairs of ancillary piers that transfer the loads directly into the ground.
• The aesthetic appeal will lay in the extreme slenderness of the deck which in combination with thin stays provides an impression of gravity defying lightness and transparency.

A view of the Gordie Howe International Bridge construction project at night. Courtesy photo. (Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority)

3. What has gone into making sure visual quality aspirations are realized?

Behrens said these are steps that have been taken by the construction team to ensure the bridge will be free of clutter and pure in form:

• The concealing of services, pipes, cables, etc. within the enclosed bridge deck or concrete structures.
• The coordination of the surface finishes and colors of all the bridge components.
• Everything is either white (RAL 9003) with a semi-gloss finish or natural concrete.
• Working closely with site teams and prepared numerous mock-ups to ensure the envisioned quality finishes and consistencies is achieved.
• When ever a concrete mix is changed, another field benchmark sample was done and outcomes were carefully reviewed.
• Color coordinate the finishes of the access doors on the tower with the concrete surface to ensure these doors will not be visible from a far and blend into the concrete surface.

4. How will the bridge compare with other iconic structures?

Behrens is no stranger to working with other iconic structures around the world, and feels the bridge will rank right up there with them.

“When I compare it with the Al Wahda Arches in Qatar, which is in essence a public art work and monument on a grand scale with its 100-meter tall double arch cable net structure, I must say that the Gordie Howe Bridge will be similar,” he said. “It will become a popular icon that will be loved by its citizens and visitors alike.”

5. When will the two bridge decks be connected?

This is likely to happen in the late spring or summer, and will be a signature moment in the project when the decks that started on the U.S. and Canadian sides of the river connect in the middle.

“I believe the pinnacle moment of this effort will be soon when the two bridge decks will meet at the border over the middle of the Detroit River and will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come,” Behrens said.

According to latest information from the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority WDBA and their private sector partner BNA and AECOM, the bridge is expected to be open for motorists by 2025.

Erik Behrens, architect of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, surveys construction progress. Courtesy photo (Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority)