Canadian officials have ordered emergency repairs to the Ambassador Bridge linking Detroit and Windsor amid worries that the 86 year old structure poses a risk to public safety.
Transportation Officials Order Emergency Bridge Repairs
On Friday, Transport Canada issued an order for emergency repairs to the bridge’s owner, the Canadian Transit Company following an August inspection that revealed that the bridge’s railings and curbs were unsafe on the Canadian side and might not stop a vehicle from crashing off of the bridge. In some parts of the bridge, two by fours have been installed to bolster the deteriorating railings.
Detroit news crews have also captured video from underneath the bridge in which holes in the bridge deck are clearly visible.
Transport Canada has ordered that temporary concrete barriers be installed to protect drivers, but this is expected to result in serious traffic delays on the busiest border crossing for trade in the U.S.
Canadian Minister of Transport Marc Garneau warns that there could be consequences if the repairs are not completed in a timely fashion: “I ask the Canadian Transit Company, as the bridge’s owner, to do everything it can to speed up repair work in order to reduce crossing delays. Should action not be taken in a timely manner, I will not hesitate to take additional safety measures.”
Bridge Owners Say They Are Waiting On Government Approval To Build Second Span Of Ambassador Bridge
As for a permanent fix, the Canadian Transit Company wants to focus on opening a second span of the Ambassador Bridge right next to the first but has been unable to secure approval from the government. Here’s what they had to say about the emergency repairs: “While we wait for the “Green light” from Transport Canada to begin construction of the new Ambassador second span, we continue repairs and maintenance work on the existing bridge. The referenced repairs are underway and were started last year. We are cooperating fully on both matters with Transport Canada.”
Sources:
Windsorite.CANews
WXYZ Detroit
Daily Detroit
CTV News