Ontario Construction News staff writer
After five years of shaping the skyline above the Detroit River, the towering red and blue cranes that helped build the Gordie Howe International Bridge’s massive towers have been dismantled — a major milestone for one of Canada’s largest infrastructure projects. Bridging North America — a joint venture of Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Aecon is building the bridge.
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) announced last week that both 243-metre (797-foot) tall tower cranes, installed in 2020 and vital to the project’s vertical construction, are being removed now that the bridge towers have reached their full height of 220 metres (722 feet).
The Canadian crane — painted red — was fully dismantled in May, with the blue American crane scheduled for removal by the end of June.
A single dismantling crew is handling both cranes, using a reverse of the 2020 assembly process. The cranes are being “self-climbed” down section by section, with final dismantling aided by a 600-ton crawler crane equipped with a 165-metre (541-foot) boom. Once work wrapped up on the Canadian side, the crawler crane was transported in 41 flatbed loads across the bridge deck to begin the same task on the U.S. side.
Two tower cranes were used to lift heavy structural materials including rebar, formwork, anchor boxes, and all 216 stay cables that now define the bridge’s signature cable-stayed design. The red and blue paint schemes on the twin cranes paid tribute to the national colours of Canada and the United States.
Work now moves from major structural work to system integration and finishing tasks.
Ongoing construction includes installation of electrical, drainage, and fire suppression systems, barriers, signage, lighting, pavement markings, and the bridge’s multi-use path.
Work has also begun on the bridge’s integrated technology systems, with testing and coordination now underway in partnership with transportation agencies and first responders on both sides of the border. These systems will support tolling, traffic management, safety monitoring, and border control operations.
Once completed, the Gordie Howe International Bridge will be one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in North America and a critical commercial link between Ontario and Michigan.