Gordie Howe International Bridge nears connection over the Detroit River

Chopper 7 was over the Gordie Howe International Bridge on Monday morning and the two sides of the bridge are nearing connection. According to officials, the bridge gap between the two sides is a little over 200 feet and will be connected sometime this summer.

[@geomodelrailroader]

Canadians just installed their final segment and Americans have one to go in a few weeks the keystone will be installed and the bridge will be complete.

[@phil9947]

Thank you Canada for being the best neighbors in the entire universe.

[@terrygelinas4593]

The neighbors connect in a cool way!

[@user-vu5dt9lb4d]

Awesome looking. The downtown area hasn't looked this good in ages, thanks to Mayor Dugan and the others that are investing in it.

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

They should join it right between July 1st (Canada Day) and July 4th (Independence Day). What a beautiful structure, I wonder if there's any left and right sway on windy days while it's still unconnected. They are pretty far out there.

[@ronsamborski6230]

The connection as you suggested for that timeframe would be excellent. Imagine being able to be on the bridge to watch the fireworks show that Detroit puts on every year. 🇺🇸🇨🇦

[@williamfleaher5834]

You newly constructed bridge has given something ta watch!!!!

[@yahooskip]

Much like the bridge built over the Hoover damn a few years back (the viewing)

[@DiannaJohnson-0321]

Beautiful

[@jimw1615]

This reminds me of the connection of the two "legs" of the St. Louis Arch in October 1965. The expansion/contraction (from heating and cooling) of both legs played a big part in placing that last segment so it fit and could be welded into place. This bridge joining process should be no different unless there is an expansion interface built into the place where the two ends of the bridge meet.

[@jeffreygosselin7576]

Congratulations Bryce Phillips on 4 years towards the completion of the Gordie Howe Bridge.

[@cynthiasmith4130]

I can't wait for it to be done!!! How exciting watching this bridge being built!!! What a bridge!!!! 🎉🎉🎉.. 💪💪💪💪💪.......

[@jeffdragna316]

So cool how bridge is supported

[@JoeLinux2000]

Spectacular drone footage.

[@Left_hand_clapping]

Great footage WXYZ. I support my local news!

[@JamesGrinstead]

So far so good!

[@BenBennett94]

So, when is the final connection day party?!!

[@ronsamborski6230]

The video description says that it should be connected sometime this summer.

[@UQRXD]

That is so wild both ends not connected.

[@gerardacronin334]

I do hope they have measured everything correctly and that the two sides line up!

[@farmerthatflies]

Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if it missed by two inches 😅

[@FrankaiVideos-DetroitsComeback]

The final pieces will be custom made to the needed measurements.

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

metric on one side , standard on the other . that’s why it cost more to build

[@magaareinbredhillbillies]

if you drive fast enough, you could jump that part.

[@normaberastain2997]

Beautiful view

[@milesmoose]

Was sound necessary?

[@jayejaye92]

I thought it was something wrong with my phone 😂

[@richhopson6063]

​@@jayejaye92 My wife told me to turn my phone down.😊

[@ronsamborski6230]

I’m unsure of what ship that is on the river, but the freighters on the Great Lakes, which the Detroit River is part of, are up to a thousand feet long. The video from above gives a glimpse of how huge the Gordie Howe Bridge actually is.

[@leonardcollings7389]

Paul R. Tregurtha is the longest ship on the Great Lakes at 1,013.5 feet, and is also known as the "Queen of the Great Lakes".

[@ronsamborski6230]

@@leonardcollings7389 Yep, I follow several channels that show Great Lakes freighters regularly and I’m aware of those that are 1000’ plus. The length on the “thousand footers” varies from one to another but they’re all at least a thousand feet long. Massive ships, for sure. 👍🏼

[@davidmayhew8083]

Fantastic!

[@TKevinBlanc]

I wonder if this will be the prototype for the new Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

[@hwyfan]

The MdTA director indicated recently that a cable stay bridge will be built as the replacement span in Baltimore. The design aspects of it are yet to be determined.

[@TXnine7nine]

will be interesting considering the waterway is much wider at the point the Key bridge went across the water than here. Any design that doesn’t involve supports in the water would be preferable.

[@davidv2700]

​@@hwyfanIt's amazing how popular cable stayed bridges have become. The Øresund bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge: I can go on and on.

[@h8GW]

Cable-stay bridges are pretty much the go-to default bridge for all but the longest spans because of their cost-effectiveness. Personally, I think it's a little boring, but at least they're not as much as an eyesore as cantilever bridges.

[@leeriffee4606]

Possibly, but on a much smaller scale in Baltimore. The Key Bridge easily carried only 4 lanes of traffic, not a mega expressway like this. Also, as the harbor is very shallow closer to the shore, the supports will likely be placed where the water is only 15 or 20 feet deep. Any large ship that goes astray would end up running aground before it got anywhere near the bridge.

[@standubaj8989]

Almost,just amazing 👍

[@tomgeauvreau7099]

I hear it's June for final completion and safety tests.

[@Subie-Driver]

Almost there…just waiting for the final section to see this engineering marvel on its way to completion

[@Mistyno]

I just can’t fathom the physics of how they can build it inwards!

[@cds957]

Computers!!

[@tigrrtom]

@@cds957 Just think, in the old days they used a slide rule!

[@theyetti8811]

It would have been very difficult to build it outwardly due to the lack of anything being present 🎁

[@cleanwillie1307]

Are they going to put a golden rivet in the final connecting piece?

[@tobisherwood7853]

There are no rivets in the construction of this bridge; they are using nuts & bolts.

[@user-ov4mk9ox8y]

@@tobisherwood7853 looks almost identical to the Alex Fraser bridge in British Columbia.

[@Nisfor372]

A tale of two cities. One is Detroit seeing the amazing Gordie Howe bridge soon to be finished while a ship passes under it. The second is Baltimore to see a ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key bridge bringing the whole thing down and watching the overwhelming cleanup.

[@j340_official]

How is this bridge funded ?

[@tobisherwood7853]

The bridge is funded by the Canadian taxpayer.

[@j340_official]

@@tobisherwood7853 ​​⁠interesting. So even though USA benefits the USA or Michigan is not paying ? Why is that ?

[@tobisherwood7853]

@@j340_official The bridge benefits both the US and Canada and will significantly help with international trade between them. According to its estimate, Canada will recoup its cost for financing the bridge by collecting the tolls for the next 37 years. This was done with the original Blue Water International Bridge 60 miles north of Detroit at Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, in the 1930s. When the US taxpayer paid for the bridge, the US collected the tolls until their investment was recouped.

[@leonardcollings7389]

@@tobisherwood7853 Canada gets 100% of the tolls for the next 50 Years.

[@patrickwhelan5703]

What's the allowable number that the bridge can be misaligned and yet still connect?

[@andrewdeandetroit]

The cables can be adjusted for the final position of each side

[@BasementEngineer]

@@andrewdeandetroit Deck elevation and deck twist may be adjusted with the stay cables. Horizontal alignment... Not so much. A small amount of misalignment here can be accommodated with the final key piece, which requires custom fabrication in any case. I am sure that inspectors, using alignment telescopes on one side of the bridge, and targets placed judiciously on the other half, keep a close eye on the (mis)- alignment of the two halves.

[@robbrown4954]

@@BasementEngineerthey frequently check it on all 3 axis using lasers, it will line up

[@patrickwhelan5703]

@@andrewdeandetroit Do the cables get their anchoring strength from the towers? Unlike a suspension bridge that buries the cable in a concrete bunker of sorts. I wonder the amount of downward pressure put on the cables now, without being connected. Seems like a lot of weight currently, and then 2 cranes....

[@ronsamborski6230]

@@patrickwhelan5703 Take into consideration the weight of all the traffic that will cross the bridge constantly once it’s finished. Think of a traffic jam on the bridge with fully loaded semi trucks, passenger vehicles, etc. The civil engineering involved in the design and construction of bridges takes all that into consideration, plus wind factors, snow loads, possible earthquake faults, etc. 👍🏼

[@josephw7866]

When will it open?

[@FrankaiVideos-DetroitsComeback]

in the year 2025

[@carlsaganlives6086]

@@FrankaiVideos-DetroitsComeback '...if man..🎵...is...still alive..🎵🎵...he may...find..🎵'

[@jeffdragna316]

No support structure in water fo ship to hit awesome

[@Irobot12z]

Wow

[@muckfoot-4093]

this is real footage from a UFO

[@michaelcobb3347]

The construction teams will be needed in Baltimore soon.

[@rbspider]

Are you sure you don't want a middle support tower? It's not too late. I would wait a year before going over. Recall they put that tunnel in Boston and held four ton ceiling panels in place with bolts into epoxy. That worked well until one fell just as a vehicle was going through. May the woman rest in piece.

[@richhopson6063]

It's safer than the bridge that collapsed in Baltimore.

[@loudsubwoofer8492]

👍

[@xKevmachinex]

funny theres no beams under this bridge for a boat to hit... keeps adding to the narrative.

[@irench]

As the MV from Interlake Steamship doesn't bash the bridge

[@ronsamborski6230]

The ships on the river aren’t nearly tall enough to touch the bridge span, and the tower supports are far enough away from the water that no ship could ever touch them.

[@irench]

@@ronsamborski6230 ever been on the bridge of a laker? I have. In fact The Fitz just 2 weeks before it sank as a child. Then lived in Sturgeon Bay where they over winter, take repairs, and just lay up where I've stood on the fly bridge. Yeah, I know that bridge is way higher than the bridge of the laker n yeah the piers are on the edge of the river. It's the point Lakers, don't use harbor pilots. They navigate and operate under the expert crews that man them. They run on the meanest of waters and waterways not much wider than they are. One common delivery spot for them they back up the river that winds to get to their offload.

[@user-ou6gm2ob5t]

Give it to the trades 25 the best in the west ,building America, Michigan tradesman the best

[@catnaplappdx5001]

Google maps has it as the "Goodies Howe" bridge. A hack, maybe?

[@dsm9785]

Red Bull should set up a jump for a dirt bike!

[@brucebruce7816]

The tower crane are gone

[@zipperpillow]

Ridiculous name. It should be called the "Simon Girty Bridge".

[@jeffdragna316]

Cable bridge

[@cyberpleb2472]

Thanks for footing the bill Canada!

[@patrickwhelan5703]

From a US President who knows how to actually get infrastructure bills....PASSED!!

[@cyberpleb2472]

@@patrickwhelan5703 Which president would that be? This project was spear-headed, planned and funded by the Canadian federal government. The hope is that Michigan will pay back it's debt through tolls. If you are referring to Trump, this project was in the planning stages prior to his presidency; he had nothing at all to do with this.

[@ZBoomBoomz]

Almost touching tips.

[@theyetti8811]

👉👈

[@peterjaniceforan3080]

🫣

[@gerryjenner7375]

Courtesy of 100% Canadian tax dollars

[@leightongalleries6057]

Meh

[@michelemcguire8995]

What's the big deal behind this?

[@connieellerbe-maycock7115]

You must not be from Michigan or Windsor Canada area. It means a lot to us.

[@robertpalmer3166]

It's to make people ask ridiculous questions. It worked.

[@leonardcollings7389]

The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest crossing on the Canada-United States border, with nearly 25% of U.S.-Canada border crossings by trucks using the bridge. The bridge has been criticized for its monopoly status (as no trucks are permitted to use the tunnel), private ownership by billionaire Manuel Moroun and poor maintenance record on a Bridge built in 1929. Both the bridge and the Detroit Winsor road tunnel lack direct highway connections on the Canadian side, with city streets and traffic lights

[@edwinjames6283]

@@leonardcollings7389 I watched a history of the new bridge last week. Fantastic and incredible by all counts. I live on the border in Madawaska, Maine. Our brand new bridge is set to open in June. The bridge is done, but the U.S. side has some delays in specialized equipment at U.S. Customs. It's a nice bridge that is at an angle to the river because buildings could not be torn down.

[@pietjan2650]

Nonsense, there is already a bridge the ambassador and people need to drive less, it is all not necessary. Only to give good jobs and opportunities to the corrupt friends

[@brucemitchell5637]

WOW! why so butt hurt little fella? Did you get misgendered again or did someone not use your preferred pronouns?😂😂😂

[@AU_4591]

Sorry VXYZ TV but there's mu h better videos out there than this noisy one

[@duanium]

Lookee here, Mama... It's a Skybridge!!!