Detroit-Windsor | Gordie Howe International Bridge | 2,800' main span | U/C
Well, it looks like the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) has cleared its final environmental hurdle. There is still a big question of who's competing bridge proposal will get off the ground, first, the privately-funded proposal by the Detroit International Bridge Company or this publically-funded Detroit River International Crossing:
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http://www.freep.com/uploads/images/...-to-canada.jpg |
BTW, the DRIC still hasn't selected whether this will be a suspension or cable-stayed bridge. If it's suspension, the towers will reach 459 feet in height. If it's a cable-stayed, this thing will reach 835 feet in height, which'll put it signifcantly over the height of the RenCen.
Either of these will be significantly taller than the existing Ambassador Bridge (386 feet) |
^LMich, what do you think of the location? Doesn't it seem kind of dumb to locate it so far from the Fisher and from 401 on the other side? Especially if you have to tear occupied houses down?
Is a secondary span next to the Ambassador even still under consideration? 836'...that's like the new Stonecutter's Bridge size in HK (maybe a little smaller) |
I think they considered nearly a dozen different locations and freeway configurations and narrowed it down to Delray specifically to keep it from taking out too many businesses. Any further up river and it'd have been even more destructive, any further down, and well, your point becomes even more true (i.e. it gets too far from the freeway). Canada really lobbied hard to push this as far downriver as they could to minimize disruption to traffic and property.
Yes, the private bridge proposal by the Detroit International Bridge Company is still very much moving forward, but the state has been using everything it cans to stop it. It also happens to be the least popular of the proposals, as it would facilitate shutting down the historic Ambassador, and everyone believes that he wants to eventually demolish it, anyway, in favor of the his new bridge. BTW, that one will measure ~ 551 feet in height. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/...a45a9d52_o.jpg Detroit International Bridge Company Here's some info on the Ambassador Bridge "Enhancement" as the DIBC is calling it. And, here is the side for the Detroit River International Crossing or DRIC. BTW, to see the plaza for this new public bridge on the American side, here's the pdf showing the configuration. As you can see, they tried to take out as few residences as possible. There is a trend, though, to try and move the population closer to the city and make Delray totally industrial. |
Do contractors working on an international bridge have to go through customs every day in order to go to and leave work, (obviously not in the beginning, but at later stages when the bridge spans the river) or is there just security on either end to ensure that foreign nationals do not exit the construction site?
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Oh. Wow.
Build it yesterday |
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So, like when we build a bridge to Canada do we build and pay for it all or do we build it half-way and let them finish it? :rolleyes:
Or maybe do we charge a toll to only Canadians wanting to use "our" bridge (if any of them actually want to come across to our miserable, submerging semi-democracy)? Oh, and did they get a say about how they view the impact on their environment? Or where to put the thing? |
Both sides build and maintain such bridges with the exception of the Ambassador bridge which is owned by a guy that I don't know if I should like or hate.
My grandmother hates him, but he seems kinda cool even though he's sorta shady. |
The bridge in Fort Frances/International Falls is owned by the mill. The big, smelly mill that is the first thing you see in the US when you cross the bridge to International Falls.
When you enter Fort Frances, the mill is on the right. :) |
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Alex, Matty is evil. He's been squatting on the MCS and if he get his new bridge, he'll most certainly tear down the Ambassador. |
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Do you know the answers to any of them? How's it all get done? |
Oh, I honestly thought you were being facetious. It's not your normal typing style.
Anyway, - Both sides put up funding money for the construction of the bridge. Same goes for the operation and maintenance, each side managed by its own special public coproration or both/either agree to let a private company manage both/either side (see Detroit-Windsor Tunnel). - Every vehicle is charged a toll that goes toward the operation and maintenance of the bridge. - This should answer your question about the environmental impact. In fact, that entire website should answer question about all of the politicis and policy that go behind international bridge building. It's incredibly complicated, and it's been working its way through planning since at least 2002. So, from my understanding, everything's been tied up as far as environmental impact and location on the American side, and the Canadian side of things is soon to finish up. After that, they still have yet to pick the type of bridge (suspension or cable-stayed). When having to deal with state and national DOT's as well as the DofHS and local municipalities, you can see how this would get complicated. We're still shooting for a start date for all of the traffic reconfiguration in 2010, and a completion for the entire project sometime in 2013. The private bridge, of course, would be built much faster if it's not further blocked. Detroit River International Crossing Environmental Impact Statement Summary Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Environmental Impact Assessment |
(renderings from environmental impact statement pdf's)
DRIC Bridge http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3299/...fab61efc_o.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/...642e96db_o.jpg Ambassador Bridge Enhancement http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3391/...f59bee4d_o.jpg |
Seeing Canada to the south is always confusing for a second
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An the Ambassador Bridge Enhancement (private bridge) takes another step forward, as well:
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A new article and comparison that does a pretty good job of explaining the two different projects moving forward:
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to the politicians saying this isn't the time, wasn't obama proposing investing in infastructure to stimulate economy?
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Tearing down the Ambassador would be like tearing down the Ben Franklin Bridge here in Philly or the Williamsburg in NYC! We're not talking about an overly famous span, but one that's been a local landmark for generations.
I must say, the publicly funded proposal is most handsome. |
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