Detroit International Bridge Company Seeks to Complete Gateway Project

Bridge company will work with MDOT to meet January 2012 construction deadline; urges MDOT to open freeway ramps now.
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DETROIT — The Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) today announced that it is moving forward to complete its work on the Gateway Project with compliance of the court order. The company disagrees with MDOT on some aspects of the design plans, but will work through design and construction issues with the court monitor and MDOT to complete construction by January 2012 as ordered by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Prentis Edwards.

“Attorney Reginald Turner will help guide the DIBC through the completion of the Gateway Project,” said Bridge Company president Dan Stamper. “If we run into problems Mr. Turner will meet with the MDOT attorneys, the court monitor, Judge Edwards, or anyone else he deems necessary to keep construction on schedule.”

The construction issues that DIBC is moving ahead to resolve include:

  • The SO-2 bridge which is the connection of the inbound truck traffic to the U.S. freeway system which is the most significant element of the court order
  • DIBC will convey company property to MDOT that will allow MDOT to move forward with the S-32 bridge connection to SO-2 bridge which connects to the U.S. freeway system
  • Relocation of the current outbound toll booths as ordered by the court
  • DIBC is confident it will complete construction prior to the court ordered date

There has been conflicting testimony by MDOT to the Court which has led to discrepancies in the design process for the project. Despite this, DIBC is and always has been committed to moving forward to completion of the Gateway Project. MDOT completed new ramps from the freeway in May 2009, yet it refuses to open those ramps while blaming DIBC for the truck traffic that travels through the community. It is time that MDOT opens those ramps and fulfills the promise of direct access to the Ambassador Bridge.