After nearly six months of redirecting traffic to the original span, rehabilitation work on the second span of the Blue Water Bridge is complete.
Federal Bridge Corporation Director of Communications Alexandre Gauthier said the eastbound span is scheduled to reopen at around noon on Wednesday, October 23.
"On the Canadian side, we should be fully open, we have absolutely completed the project on our side," said Gauthier. "MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) might have some ongoing work for a bit longer. So, the bridge will be open on their side as well, but maybe not all lanes."
The work started on May 29 and was 70 per cent complete in September.
"There were no significant issues at all during the final phase of the project," he said. "We'd love to take this opportunity to say how extremely grateful we are for the seamless collaboration we've had with our partners, both on the U.S. and Canadian sides, and the dedication of our staff as well... which needless to say contributed enormously to the smooth completion of these projects."
According to MDOT, crews will continue painting, requiring intermittent lane closures and shifts through the end of November.
The Pine Grove Avenue ramp to the toll plaza will remain closed during peak hours (Wednesday - Saturday) through the end of October.
After the traffic shift, MDOT said the span will be able to accommodate wide loads up to 15 feet, along with superloads on an at-need basis.
Last year, rehabilitation of the original span took about three months to complete and finished two days ahead of schedule.
"These were extensive rehabilitations. No major work should be needed for a long time," Gauthier said.
