Parsons has won the contract to support the owner – WDBA – through design review as well as providing technical advice and monitoring and overseeing the construction activities through inspections, compliance reviews and audits.
Construction of the new bridge between Windsor in Ontario in Canada and Detroit in the US state of Michigan will begin this year. The contract awarded to Parsons is the first that WDBA has awarded for services related to the design-build phase of the project.
Parsons will begin its work as owner’s engineer in April – two months before WDBA announces its preferred proponent and begins final contractual negotiations.
The six-lane bridge will have a clear span of 850m and a total length of approximately 2.5km. Conceptual designs have been produced for both suspension and cable-stayed options.
In January 2015, following a competitive process, Parsons had been awarded a contract as WDBA’s general engineering consultant to provide a range of professional engineering services during the preparatory activities and procurement stages of the project. WDBA has exercised its option for the contract to be amended to select Parsons as owner’s engineer.
“As we finalize our procurement process to select a private-sector partner to deliver the Gordie Howe International Bridge project it is important that we take steps now to prepare for the start of significant construction,” said WDBA interim chief executive officer André Juneau. “In addition to getting the sites ready through preparatory activities, we are getting our organization ready to manage the project with appointing Parsons as our owner’s engineer being our first critical step.”
