AWP GHIB Ecological efforts

Detroit, MI - For years, residents and commercial commuters alike had waited for alternative transport across the Detroit River. In 2018, these hopes were heard and heeded with the announcement for a new bridge spanning the gap between Detroit and Windsor. Now the project nearing completion, the Gordie Howe International Bridge just a few months away from functional operation.

Throughout the planning stage, team leaders knew the undertaking would impact far more than just travelers, which is why the Arkay Welborough Partnership was selected as a member of the ecological sustainability analysis team. AWP, along with partner organizations in Canada, began the labor of examining the proposed structure, building sustainability into both the design and construction process.

Survey Investigation

AWP began its work with The Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) study, a joint investigation of the potential impact of the new bridge. AWP and its cooperating organizations conducted various studies into:

Soil erosion
Water-table contamination
Particulates and smog
Flora and fauna relocation

Under the Bridge to Strengthen Trade Act (BSTA) Arkay Welborough found construction plans to be fully compliant, and sustainable.

Relocation

Though construction activities would not threaten any endangered or vulnerable species, AWP began relocation efforts, transporting native plant and animal life to friendly habitats before breaking ground at the site.

Demolition

The Gordie Howe Bridge required a significant tract of land for both its roadway, and administrative buildings. AWP began the process of sampling existing properties before demolition, testing for:

Carcinogens
Asbestos
PCBs
Lead
Mercury
Solvents

Such investigation revealed multiple contaminants and allowed for EGLE compliant, ecologically sustainable deconstruction, without risk to the environment or surrounding population.

Footings and Supports

AWP partnered with Cordy Diving and other aquatic A/E experts to minimize runoff from the bridge footings, pouring and placing the base with negligible silt disruption. Since then, AWP has monitored building activities for infarctions, continuing the Bridge to Strengthen Trade Act’s guiding principles, and verifying adherence to sustainable construction practices by all subcontractor parties.

Bridge Completion

As the Gordie Howe International Bridge nears completion, AWP has overseen the effort to keep the bridge eco-friendly through inclusions such as:

LED energy efficient lighting
Falcon nesting boxes
Solar paneling on Port Authority buildings
Runoff directing gutter systems to preserve river ecosystems

Soon enough GHIB will be ready for travelers, bridging the gap between Detroit and Windsor. The Arkay Welborough Partnership is proud, in its part, to have bridged the gap between engineering, and environment.