Gordie Howe Bridge Pre-Construction Environmental Cleanup
Removal of Universal Waste and Contaminated Soils at various locations within the construction zone of the newest Detroit River crossing; The Gordie Howe International Bridge.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is the newest Detroit River crossing to be built. In preparation for the build and prior to construction, Michigan’s Department of Transportation had to acquire multiple properties for the bridge’s footprint. Some of the properties had existing structures on site and others had legacy contamination from the former occupants.
The Taplin Companies successfully completed the removal and disposal of Universal Waste of existing structures in preparation for demolition. Additionally, Taplin removed contaminated soils in various former manufacturing properties along the Detroit River. Those contaminants included: Asbestos, Arsenic, Barium, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Silver, PCB, and Trichloroethylene. In total, 28,565 tons of contaminated soils were removed from the sites.
In addition to the cleanup, the Taplin Companies were contracted to conduct the exposure of tie-backs of the river’s seawall. That involved the removal of those same contaminants comingled with heavy demolition debris all without damaging the tie-backs themselves and making the excavations safe for engineers to conduct condition assessments and measurements moving forward.
As with all historical manufacturing sites, the unknown is the probable factor. Whether it is discovering undocumented buried structures or utilities, different contaminants or buried drums, the professional Taplin Team in conjunction with consulting engineers were able to safely address the situation. The waste demolition and remediation of the sites laid integral groundwork to pave the way for the eventual construction of the bridge.