Construction to close one Blue Water Bridge span May 29

The eastbound span of the Blue Water Bridge will close May 29 for rehabilitation work, officials say.

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The work, on both sides of the international bridge over the St. Clair River, follows a similar project that shut the original westbound span last summer and fall.

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Traffic will move in both directions on the original span while the eastbound span is shut, Remi Paquette of the Federal Bridge Corp., which owns and runs the Canadian half of the crossing, said by email.

Repairs to the eastbound span are expected to be completed Oct. 22, he said.

“In parallel with our rehabilitation project on the Canadian side, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is conducting their own rehabilitation work on the American side,” Paquette said.

The original span, linking Point Edward with Port Huron, Mich., opened in 1938. The second span, just south of the first, opened in 1997.

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

Work on the Canadian side of the eastbound span is expected to cost $7 million and will include repairs to the main deck, sidewalks and curbs, waterproofing and asphalt replacement, Paquette said.

Last year, the corporation spent about $5 million on its half of the original span strengthening crossbeams, replacing bearings and expansion joints, repairing and waterproofing the concrete deck and repaving.

Toll collection won’t be affected by construction, but dedicated FAST and LEXUS lanes won’t be available, the corporation said.

“We are scheduling the rehabilitation project during the summer months as the work required is weather-dependent and this period provides the optimal conditions necessary for the extensive scope of repairs and upgrades, ensuring the highest quality and efficiency,” Paquette said.

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Last year’s work was finished two days ahead of schedule, the corporation has said.

During this year’s construction, wide loads will be restricted to less than three meters.

“We’re working closely with MDOT to minimize disruptions and maintain efficient cross-border travel,” Paquette said.

Bridge users are encouraged to plan ahead by checking live camera feeds at bluewaterbridge.ca/trafficand traffic updates posted on X, formerly Twitter, at @bluewaterbridge.

Before last summer’s project, the last time maintenance closed one of the crossing’s spans was in 2015, the corporation has said.

[email protected]
@ObserverPaulM

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