DETROIT – The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel will be undergoing a facelift this year.
The final phase of a $21.6 million project to renovate the tunnel will kick off this month, prompting closures for the tunnel starting in Friday, October, 20.
The renovations have already included masonry and electrical work, and now will shift in October to the replacement of the concrete ceiling and other infrastructure improvements.
Also see: Metro Detroit weekend construction: Work on I-75, I-94, Ford Road (10/20 - 10/22)
DWT and WDTC are committed to conducting the scheduled improvements to the tunnel while causing the least amount of disruption for its 12,000 daily users.
To complete the project safely and quickly, the tunnel will be closed based on the following schedule:
• Oct. 20-30 – The tunnel will be closed from 8 p.m. Oct 20 through 5:30 a.m. Oct 30.
• Oct. 30-Nov. 22: The tunnel will be closed 8 p.m.-5:30 a.m. Sunday-Thursday.
• Nov. 23-26: The tunnel will be open to traffic.
• Nov. 27-Dec. 23: The tunnel will be closed 8 p.m.- 5:30 a.m. Sunday-Thursday.
• Dec. 23- Jan. 1, 2018: The tunnel will be open to traffic.
• Jan. 2- mid-June: The tunnel will be closed from 8 p.m.- 5:30 a.m. Sunday-Thursday.
The renovations are scheduled for completion in June 2018. .
“We look forward to continuing to serve as the premier gateway to Windsor and Detroit for years to come, and this work will help us to do just that,” said Neal Belitsky, president of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. “The need for this renovation project is a natural occurrence in the life of an underwater tunnel and the next step in our continued maintenance and improvement of this vital international asset.”
The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is the only international, vehicular, subaqueous border crossing in the world. It has been recognized as one of the great engineering wonders of the world and is one of the most important border crossings between the United States and Canada. Located between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, connecting the U.S. interstates to Ontario’s Highway 401, it is one of the fastest links between the two countries.
History of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
The international connection between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario began in 1929.
The Ambassador Bridge construction was completed that year and officially opened Nov. 11, 1929. Just a year later, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel construction was completed and dedicated Nov. 1, 1930.
It opened to public traffic on Nov. 3, 1930.