Gordie Howe Bridge won't open until 2026 after delay

(FOX 2) - Those waiting for the Gordie Howe International Bridge to officially open will have to wait a little longer after officials said the new border crossing's completion will be delayed.

The bridge has been under construction for years, and its finish will mean another way of crossing the border between Detroit and Windsor.

The Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority confirmed that construction on the bridge was "progressing well" but that testing was underway and would need to finish before opening up.

It had been scheduled to open in late 2025. 

Gordie Howe Bridge opening delayed

According to the WDBA chief relations officer, the bridge will open "as soon as early 2026."

However, the exact date is still to be determined based on "ongoing quality reviews, testing and commissioning," said Heather Grondin in an email.

"As is standard practice on large complex projects, we are currently focused on commissioning and testing to ensure we identify as many potential issues as possible for us to resolve before the opening of the bridge. We are also providing all border agencies sufficient time to achieve operational readiness on what is the largest and most complex border crossing along the US-Canada border."

Big picture view:

Bridge construction reached multiple milestones over the past two years, including connecting the two decks stretching from Canada and the U.S. sides of the structure.

Then in July, crews began to disassemble the tower cranes that helped build the spires supporting the bridge deck.

The half-mile crossing is supported by massive cables that stretch from the concrete pillars to the deck.

Gordie Howe Bridge work

Constructing a bridge of this size requires thinking on a larger scale.

Both cranes reached a final height of 797 feet by the time each bridge tower was complete. When they first went up, it took three days to assemble their base, climbing up as construction on the towers went on.

They were disassembled in the opposite way, beginning at the top and lowered with the help of crawler cranes, according to a fact sheet. 

Dig deeper:

While the structure is nearing completion, there is still more work to do. 

When the bridge opens, it will serve as more than just a route over the border. It will provide paths for other forms of transportation like bikes. The pavement will also have special lighting and signage.