Blue Water Bridge’s upgraded eastbound span reopens

The eastbound span of the Blue Water Bridge reopened this week after being closed since the end of May for rehabilitation work.

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Construction took place on both the Canadian and US sides of the international crossing over the St. Clair River between Point Edward, near Sarnia, and Port Huron, Mich.

But work on the bridge isn’t finished.

Michigan’s Department of Transportation, which operates the US side of the bridge, said while the eastbound span is open to traffic, its crews will continue painting on the Michigan side through November, leading to intermittent lane closings.

The Pine Grove Avenue ramp to the US toll plaza will remain closed during peak hours Wednesday to Saturday until the end of October, it added.

The second span of the crossing carried traffic in both directions while the eastbound span was closed through the spring, summer and early fall.

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Travelers on the Ontario side of the westbound span will encounter some construction for a few weeks, said Alexandre Gauthier, spokesperson for Federal Bridge Corp. which runs the Canadian half of the bridge.

The work involves replacing asphalt and waterproofing in a specific area following a diesel spill a few weeks ago, he said. It’s unrelated to the recent rehabilitation project.

“The diesel spill caused damage to the asphalt surface, and timely repairs are necessary to ensure safety and maintain the integrity of the bridge, especially with winter approaching,” Gauthier said by email.

Work is expected to begin immediately and last three to four weeks, he said. One of the span’s three lanes will remain open through the work area.

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The recently completed project on the Canadian side of the eastbound span, included sidewalk rehabilitation, concrete deck repairs, waterproofing and repaving, finished on schedule, Gauthier said.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners and travelers for their patience and collaboration throughout this project,” Natalie Kinloch, Federal Bridge’s chief executive, said in a release.

“Keeping the bridge operational during this time has been crucial for supporting the communities we serve and facilitating international commerce between Canada and the United States,” she said.

The corporation said previously this year’s rehabilitation project was expected to cost $7 million and followed a $5-million project last year that saw the westbound span closed for work including strengthening crossbeams, replacing bearings and expansion joints, repairing and waterproofing the concrete deck and repaving.

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The 2023 project was also completed on time.

“We anticipate that such large-scale rehabilitation work requiring extended span closures will not be necessary again for several decades,” Gauthier said.

He added the bridge corporation’s “focus on proactive maintenance and strategic investments ensures the bridges will continue to serve as safe and reliable crossings well into the future.”

The bridge’s original span opened in 1938. The second span, just south of the first, opened in 1997.

Normally, US-bound traffic travels west on the original northern span, and Canada-bound vehicles use the newer southern span.

“Managing operations during the two years of span closures was a complex task, but our teams rose to the challenge admirably,” Gauthier said.

“During the rehabilitation projects, overall traffic volumes remained relatively steady, particularly for commercial traffic, which is vital for trade between Canada and the United States.”

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@ObserverPaulM

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