It is history in the making and will change the local landscape.
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced on Thursday the group 'Bridging North America' has been selected to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new Gordie Howe International Crossing.
The group is a consortium made up of Canadian, American and International firms and it was selected following an intensive evaluation process.
"We are ecstatic, absolutely ecstatic," says group Executive Tom Middlebrook. "This is a signature piece for the Canadian and U.S governments and for this international crossing, we have been at this for four years."
The Bridging North America partners have significant experience carrying out major infrastructure projects such as the Herb Gray Parkway, the New Champlain Bridge in Montreal, the Automated People Mover at LAX Airport along with bridges in New York and San Francisco.
"The selection of Bridging North America as the preferred proponent is another vital and important step forward toward start of the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the largest infrastructure project along the Canada and U.S border," says Dwight Duncan, authority chair.
Officials with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announce the proponent selected to design and build the new Gordie Howe International Bridge. July 5, 2018 (Photo by Teresinha Medeiros)
The authority also announced the new bridge will be a 'cable-stayed bridge' — the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.
"The cable-stayed bridge basically was a more cost effective structure," says Middlebrook. "The suspension bridge given the soil conditions and the need for the counter weights at each end of the bridge would require more cost to build that structure."
Officials say the group is committed to making hiring local workers a priority in the process.
The financial terms will be disclosed in September at which point the value and schedule of the project will be detailed and released.
Work is already underway to prepare the land for the new bridge which will span 850 metres over the Detroit River and will be a six-lane crossing.
BREAKING: The winning team is BRIDGING NORTH AMERICA to build the new @GordieHoweBrg #HoweBridge2018 #cklw pic.twitter.com/yE9nzFvetp
— Teresinha Medeiros (@tmedeiros800) July 5, 2018