AASHTO Journal, 18 May 2012
Michigan Department of Transportation’s Gateway project reached a milestone on Tuesday, opening up the two-lane truck road on the Ambassador Bridge Plaza. The road opened in just nine weeks, under budget and ahead of schedule, allowing inbound trucks from Canada to travel the route without going through neighborhood streets.
“Today, southwest Detroit can celebrate,” said MDOT Director Kirk Steudle in a statement. “To merely say I’m proud of the Gateway team’s efforts doesn’t do them justice. It’s simply amazing that two months after Judge Edwards’ decision, truck traffic is using the plaza and not the local road system. There’s still work to do, but I am confident that this team will continue with the same urgency to complete the remaining portion of the Gateway project.”
The event took place just two months after a circuit court judge ruled the bridge’s owners, Detroit International Bridge Company, must give up control of their portion of the project to allow MDOT to complete the work (see related AASHTO Journal story). DIBC was also instructed to deposit $16 million into an account to fund its part of the total $230 million in construction.
The entire Gateway project is expected to be completed by October.
More information on the opening of the Gateway project truck road is available through an MDOT video release at bit.ly/MDOTGateway.