The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced Friday that they signed a fixed-priced contract with Bridging North America worth $5.7 billion.

It is to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.

The project is anticipated to create 2,500 direct, on-site jobs, including direct hires, sub-contractors and seconded individuals.

Officials say the announcement signifies that all contractual steps have been completed and construction can begin.

“We made a commitment to deliver the Gordie Howe International Bridge project and today is the start of a new chapter for Windsor and Detroit, as well as Canada and the U.S.,” says WDBA chair Dwight Duncan. “This vital corridor will enhance trade opportunities with tremendous growth possibilities on both sides of the river.”

The fixed-price of $5.7 billion includes the design-build phase and the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation phase. Bridging North America will receive progress payments during construction and a substantial completion payment at the end of construction.

They will also receive monthly payments over the 30-year operating period.

WDBA officials say the performance-based contract is structured to ensure that the contractor has the appropriate incentives to meet or exceed the long-term objectives of safety, reliability and capacity WDBA has set for the project.

Bridging North America has presented a 74-month construction schedule to complete the four components of the project with the bridge expected to be in service by the end of 2024.

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge will be a stunning addition to Windsor and Detroit’s shared skyline,” says Bryce Phillips, CEO of the WDBA.

Bridging North America has been meeting with local companies, organizations and unions to discuss opportunities for partnerships. Representatives have also met with educational institutions to develop the next generation of skilled trade workers.

In addition to the contract value announced Friday, the government of Canada has invested $559 million from 2006 until March 31, 2018 to get the project to this milestone where the project can begin.

“2018 has been a year of significant milestones for the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” says Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Francois-Philippe Champagne. “While each one so far for this project has been progressively important, today’s announcement is pivotal to the construction start of the bridge.”

Advance construction activities have already begun on the Michigan side. It includes design work to advance foundation construction of the main bridge, test piles and the start of siphon work at I-75 and geotechnical exploration.

Bridging North America's plan for the bridge calls for a six-lane, 2.5-kilometre cable-stayed design, which is touted as the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.

The American-based owner of the Ambassador Bridge, Manuel "Matty" Moroun, has fought construction of the new bridge, even launching court challenges to have it stopped.

Almost one-quarter of all goods traded between Canada and the United States move across the Ambassador Bridge.</s>OTTAWA — A new bridge that will span Canada’s busiest border crossing with the United States is expected to cost $5.7 billion.

The Crown corporation overseeing the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge says the price tag includes the costs of designing, building, operating and maintaining the bridge and its ports of entry on both sides of the border for 30 years.

The bridge authority says the cost would have been more than $6.2 billion if the Canadian government had decided not to partner with a private-sector consortium and to foot the entire bill itself.
• Bridging North America consortium named top bidder for Gordie Howe bridge between Windsor and Detroit
• Detroit paves way for Ambassador Bridge owner to compete with new Canadian-funded bridge

Construction of the six-lane, 2.5-kilometre cable-stayed bridge will provide a second span connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit — but it won’t be open to traffic until the end of 2024.

The Canadian government expects to pay for the bridge by collecting tolls. It agreed years ago to take on the cost of the project in order to bypass Congress, which had refused to sign off on American funding.

About one-quarter of all goods traded annually between Canada and the U.S. passes through the Detroit-Windsor corridor.</s>DETROIT - Officials announced Friday that the Gordie Howe International Bridge project will cost about $4.4 billion, and the bridge is expected to open by 2024.

When Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder first approved the project, cost estimates were between $1 billion and $2 billion. Now, with Snyder heading out of office, the all-in estimate is just under $6 billon in Canadian dollars, or $4.4 billion in American dollars.

New renderings show what the cable-stayed, or dual-column, bridge will look like, according to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

The expected life span of the bridge is 125 years.

The Canadian government is financing the deal, and tolls will pay the tab over time.

Dwight Duncan, chair of the WDBA Board of Directors, strongly defended the plans and the costs.

"This is actually very good value for the money," Duncan said.

Officials said the Gordie Howe Bridge will be the largest cable-stayed bridge in North America when it's finished.

It will have six lanes as well as bicycle and pedestrian lanes, and will be able to accept hazardous waste, unlike the Ambassador Bridge, officials said.

The bridge is expected to create 2,500 jobs, and about the same will open on both sides of the Detroit River.

Duncan said 7,000 trucks go back and forth at the crossing each day, and he expects that traffic will increase once the new bridge is operating.

"Over the life of this bridge, there will be good economies where traffic's up, and it will always trend up based on the advice I've had from a number of experts," Duncan said. "We have bigger problems than the bridge."

Ceremonial shovels will be put in the ground Oct. 5 for groundbreaking. Workers have been building on the Canadian side of the river for years, and the site preparation in Detroit began earlier this year.

Click here to view the full statement from the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.</s>DETROIT — Officials say a new timeline estimates that a new international bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, will be open in late 2024.

Construction starts next week on the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Officials announced Friday in Windsor that a 36-year contract for the project includes $2.9 billion ($3.8 billion Canadian) to design and build the bridge, as well as about $1.5 billion ($1.9 billion Canadian) to operate and maintain it during that time.

A groundbreaking for advance construction was held in July in Detroit. Officials earlier projected it could open as early as 2020, but that timeline hadn't been expected to hold.

Currently, the privately owned Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel are the only commuter crossings between the two cities.

The new bridge is named after the late hockey legend.</s>OTTAWA, Sept. 28, 2018 /CNW/ -Â The Government of Canada is making investments that will help create good middle-class jobs, promote trade and productivity, and grow the economy. The Gordie Howe International Bridge will ensure people and goods move safely and smoothly between Canada and the U.S., facilitating economic activity, growth, and prosperity on both sides of the border.Â

The Honourable FranÃ§ois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities today reiterated the Government of Canada's support for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and recognized Â Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) for signing the final project agreement with Bridging North America, now its official private-sector partner.

WDBA's announcement means the procurement process on the Gordie Howe International Bridge project is complete, and full construction can officially begin on one of Canada's top infrastructure priorities.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a key enabler for the Windsor-Detroit trade corridor, supporting hundreds of thousands of high-skilled, good quality jobs for Southern Ontario and Michigan residents. The project will provide direct highway-to-highway connectivity, and technologically advanced ports of entry to support significant commercial traffic and travellers between Canada and the U.S. for generations to come.

The contract announced today between WDBA and Bridging North America is for $5.7 billion, and covers the design and construction of the project, financing costs, as well as a subsequent 30-year operation and maintenance period. Advance construction on the U.S. side of the project, as well as preparatory work on the Canadian side have already begun and the bridge is expected to be operational by the end of 2024. In addition to the contract value announced today, Canada has invested $559 million from 2006 to March 31, 2018 to get the project to this milestone where full construction can begin.

"2018 has been a year of significant milestones for the Gordie Howe International Bridge. While each one so far for this project has been progressively important, today's announcement is pivotal to the construction start of the bridge.

The Government of Canada is 100% committed to the Gordie Howe International Bridge. We are looking forward to the full construction start of this monumental infrastructure project which will play a vital role in supporting the economies of Canada and the U.S., and create opportunities for residents and businesses alike."

The Honourable FranÃ§ois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and CommunitiesÂ
• The Gordie Howe International Bridge project includes the construction of:
• A six-lane, cable-stayed design bridge of (0.53 miles) and a total length of approximately 2.5 km (1.5 miles);
• Canadian and U.S. ports of entry including approach bridges, border inspection plazas and tolling operations on the Canadian side; and,
• A interchange connecting Interstate 75 to the U.S. port of entry.
• The Government of overall investment for this project of from 2006 until will be included in WDBA's 2017-2018 Annual Report, published this fall. These costs include environmental assessment work, advance construction contracts on both the Canadian and U.S. side, land acquisition, utilities relocation as well as ongoing operations of WDBA. This figure will be updated yearly and confirmed by the Auditor General of in successive annual reports.
• The Gordie Howe International Bridge project brings opportunities in the form of jobs and contracts for local workers, service providers, and material manufacturers and distributors in both and the U.S.
• The - trade corridor is the busiest Canada-U.S. commercial land border crossing and is vital to the economies of , , and the U.S., with some 7,000 trucks crossing each day. About 2.5 million trucks cross the - border each year.
• In 2017 over ( ) in bilateral trade passed through the - trade corridor, which is 23 per cent of the overall Canada-U.S. trade.
• The bridge is expected to generate billions of dollars in toll revenues and enable the efficient movement of trillions of dollars' worth of two-way trade during its 125-year life span.</s>The consortium which will build the Gordie Howe International Bridge will do so at a cost of $5.7 billion to complete and operate the long-awaited project which should open to traffic in the fall of 2024, it was announced on Friday.

Representatives from the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority and the contractor Bridging North America for the first time released the final financial agreement and laid out specifics of the mega-project in a 90-minute press event.

Of the overall total, $3.8 billion is for the design and construction of the project, while $1.9 billion will go toward operation and maintenance costs over 30 years after the bridge opens.

The Canadian government will pay for about 85 per cent of the project’s cost in monthly installments to Bridging North America spread out over 30 years. The private sector consortium is responsible for financing the remaining 15 per cent which is being done primarily through bonds.

The Canadian government will collect all toll revenues under the final agreement.

Early construction of the bridge project on both sides of the border will start within a few weeks, but noticeable construction of everything being in full swing is about a year away, according to Dwight Duncan, chairman of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority which is overseeing the effort.

Construction of the six-lane, cable-stayed span is expected to require about 2,500 workers on both sides of the border.

The bridge will include a 3.6-metre wide multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.

A community-enhancement fund of $20 million will pay for projects in both Sandwich and Delray in southwest Detroit.

More to come.</s>OTTAWA — A new bridge that will span Canada's busiest border crossing with the United States is expected to cost $5.7 billion.

The Crown corporation overseeing the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge says the price tag includes the costs of designing, building, operating and maintaining the bridge and its ports of entry on both sides of the border for 30 years.

The bridge authority says the cost would have been more than $6.2 billion if the Canadian government had decided not to partner with a private-sector consortium and to foot the entire bill itself.

Construction of the six-lane, 2.5-kilometre cable-stayed bridge will provide a second span connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit — but it won't be open to traffic until the end of 2024.</s>OTTAWA — A new bridge that will span Canada's busiest border crossing with the United States is expected to cost $5.7 billion, take six years to build and will rely on steady tolls to pay back the federal investment needed to make it happen.

The price tag for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, announced Friday, includes $3.8 billion for its design and construction, as well as $1.9 billion more to operate and maintain the span and its ports of entry on both sides of the border for 30 years.

The cost of the bridge has steadily increased since the previous Conservative government found a way to bypass American lawmakers and the funding stalemate that had threatened to thwart the long-discussed project.

Officials overseeing work on the bridge named after the National Hockey League Hall of Famer — who was a legendary figure in the two cities and countries the span will connect — say the contract unveiled Friday with a consortium of private construction firms largely sets the final price.

But there are still risks that could drive up the cost, including any labour disruptions and additional environmental work.

The consortium will have to swallow any increases in labour or materials costs. And federal officials could decide to withhold payments if construction timelines fall behind schedule.

The major risk for the bridge authority is that the project doesn't earn enough from user tolls to cover the federal investment.

The bridge authority says the cost would have been more than $6.2 billion if the Canadian government had decided not to partner with a private-sector consortium and to foot the entire bill itself.

Construction of the six-lane, 2.5-kilometre cable-stayed bridge will provide a second span connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit — but it won't be open to traffic until the end of 2024.

And once it opens, it will have a lifespan of 125 years.</s>WINDSOR, Ontario - Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) has scheduled a news conference Friday morning for what it says will be a "significant announcement" about the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.

Work on the bridge got underway this summer. The WDBA said the cable-stayed bridge will be the longest in North America, and the heights of the bridge towers will rival the Renaissance Center in Detroit. It will offer an additional six lanes of traffic to the busy international crossing -- the Ambassador Bridge has four lanes.

“This is history in the making,” said Dwight Duncan, chair of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority’s board of directors. “I’m proud to be part of it.”

Full bridge construction has been expected to get underway this fall. A timetable for completion has not been made available.

A news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday in Windsor.

Here are quick facts about the project from the WDBA:
• Advance construction activities include design work to progress with foundation construction of the main bridge, test piles, preparation work at Interstate 75, and geotechnical exploration.
• The Gordie Howe International Bridge brings opportunities in the form of jobs and contracts for local workers, service providers, and material manufacturers and distributors in both Canada and the United States.
• The Windsor-Detroit Gateway is the busiest Canada-United States commercial land border crossing and is vital to the economies of Ontario, Michigan, Canada and the United States, with some 7,000 trucks crossing each day. About 2.5 million trucks cross the Windsor-Detroit border each year. In 2017 this represented over US$106.5 billion in bilateral trade (CAD$138 billion).
• The Gordie Howe International Bridge project includes the construction of:
• A six-lane, cable-stayed design bridge of 850m (0.53 miles) and a total length of approximately 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
• Canadian and United States Ports of Entry including approach bridges, customs plazas and a tolling station on the Canadian side
• A Michigan interchange connecting Interstate 75 to the United States Port of Entry.
• Once constructed, Canada’s Port of Entry will be the largest Canadian port on the Canada-United States border and the United States Port of Entry will be one of the largest in North America.
• Canada and the United States share the world’s longest secure border, over which approximately 400,000 people, and goods and services worth US$1.9 billion (CAD$2.5 billion), cross daily.</s>IRVING, Texas — Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced that Bridging North America, a partnership of Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group Inc., reached financial close to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project for Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA). Fluor plans to book its share of the design and construction contract value in the third quarter of 2018.

Fluor is participating in the entire 36-year life cycle of the project, which will be delivered under a $4.4 billion (CAD$5.7 billion) design, build, finance, operate and maintain contract. Fluor brings robust public-private partnership (P3) experience and industry-leading ability to successfully finance and manage complex megaprojects.

The project includes approximately $900 million (CAD$1.1 billion) of financing in a combination of bonds, bank debt, and equity from Fluor and its partners. The contract includes milestone payments for design and construction progress, as well as availability payments for operating and maintaining the project over the concession period.

“Fluor is pleased to have reached financial close on the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. We are honored to partner with WDBA to build prosperity and empower progress for the Windsor-Detroit region,” said Terence Easton, president of Fluor’s infrastructure business.

“This closure further solidifies Fluor expertise in North America as a leader in P3 development and delivery of infrastructure megaprojects.”

The Gordie Howe International Bridge project is a planned bridge and border crossing spanning the Detroit River and connecting Detroit, Michigan, U.S. and Windsor, Ontario, Canada by linking Interstate 75 and Interstate 96 in Michigan with the new extension of Highway 401 (Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway) in Ontario.

Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group Inc., partners in Bridging North America, led the development phase of the project and will hold the prime contract. This is the second project in the Windsor-Detroit area where Fluor and ACS Infrastructure Canada have partnered. They recently delivered, and are currently maintaining, the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor, Ontario, that will connect to the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

The partnership will design and build the project, and when complete, the crossing will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America. The scope also includes building new, state-of-the-art ports of entry on both the U.S. and Canadian sides of the Detroit River as well as improvements to existing infrastructure in both Michigan and Ontario.

Once completed in 2024, Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group Inc., will operate and maintain the facility for 30 years to performance standards established by WDBA.

Founded in 1912, Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) is a global engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction and maintenance company that transforms the world by building prosperity and empowering progress. Fluor serves its clients by designing, building and maintaining safe, well executed, capital-efficient projects around the world. With headquarters in Irving, Texas, Fluor ranks 153 on the Fortune 500 list with revenue of $19.5 billion in 2017 and has more than 56,000 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.fluor.com or follow Fluor on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
It is announced that the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a bridge planned to span the Canada–United States border between Detroit and Windsor, will open in late 2024. The project is expected to cost $5.7 billion and create 2500 jobs.