Gordie Howe International Bridge Phase 3

Gordie Howe Bridge | Detroit, Michigan

A Signature Project by North America JV

The Gordie Howe International Bridge, poised to be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America, represents a key international infrastructure investment connecting the U.S. and Canada. With a total length of over 1.5 miles (2.4 km), this project required precision and efficiency to meet tight construction timelines. Bridging North America JV (BNA), the primary contractor, turned to EFCO to provide innovative formwork solutions that would ensure safety, maximize efficiency, and keep costs under control throughout the project.

Bridge Overhang System Contributes to Safety

For the bridge overhangs, BNA needed a formwork system that was both safe and efficient. Traditional methods of using handset brackets would have required additional time and labor working at significant heights, but BNA needed a more efficient and safer alternative. EFCO’s Bridge Overhang Bracket System offered labor savings and ensured high-quality results by allowing the team to assemble 12’ (3.7 m) ganged assemblies using three brackets on the ground. The gangs were installed on the beam with a crane using an EFCO C-Caddy. This method greatly improved worker safety—a key factor in any large infrastructure project.

Customer Testimonial

Service and Drawings

"Early on, EFCO provided outstanding services, delivering the PLATE GIRDER? formwork systems for the bridge substructure. Not resting on their laurels, EFCO continued to deliver with the EFCO HD Overhang System for the bridge superstructure. Through multiple site visits and online meetings to talk through the use of the system, the EFCO Engineering Team could understand every detail of the plans and tailor the system to the unique aspects of the bridge without the need for custom equipment. The shop drawings supplied by EFCO provided clear directions to the field on how to assemble and erect the overhang system."

System

"The key aspect of the system for us was the high capacity. Our concrete overhangs were wide and thick and not helping on weight; we wanted to run the wheels of our heavy 145' (44.2m) wide 4800 Bidwell on the overhangs. This would have required typical overhang brackets spaced at just over a foot. With the EFCO HD Overhang System, we were able to push the brackets out to 4' (1.2m) spacing and cut the required brackets down to about a third."

"The system is very straightforward to assemble and erect. Because of this simplicity, we were able to install over 240' of bracket formwork in a typical 10-hour workday. Stripping the overhang gangs and dismantling them for return to EFCO was just about as fast. Being able to do all of this in 12' (3.7m) ganged sections that were preassembled on the ground helped to increase productivity tremendously."

"After considering the various options available for overhang bracket hangers, BNA decided the best hanger to use with the EFCO HD Overhang System was the EFCO HD Bridge Overhang Bracket Parapet Cleat. This 12-kip hanger provided a high capacity through a simple and fast installation process."

"While we decided not to take advantage of the ability to cycle the overhang gangs on this project, we would have experienced an even greater cost saving over typical overhang brackets had we done so."

"While some formwork suppliers’ service becomes limited after the formwork is shipped to the site, EFCO offers uninterrupted assistance through its Field Services Team. This team was in lockstep with us throughout multiple years of construction, whether it was by request or just stopping by to see what they could do to help. This on-call availability really helped us work through issues and keep construction moving forward quickly. The Field Team was always eager to do whatever they could to provide clarity or to ensure we never lost productivity." Chris Haskins, P.E. (MI, FL), Lead Approach Engineer – US Bridge BNA Constructors US JV

When Flexibility is Key

The Gordie Howe Bridge’s design included sections with a slight radius, adding complexity to the formwork requirements. EFCO’s bridge overhang system was engineered to provide the flexibility needed to accommodate these curved sections. Unlike traditional methods that would require a higher density of support frames and more time-intensive installation processes, EFCO’s solution allowed BNA to handle these curves with fewer support frames, reducing material and labor costs. Additionally, the ability to strip and cycle large modules kept the construction workflow moving quickly.

Why BNA Chose EFCO

The Gordie Howe International Bridge construction demanded the highest standards in safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. BNA selected EFCO because of its ability to help it achieve the lowest in-place concrete cost (LIPCC) by reducing labor and material needs. Additionally, EFCO’s commitment to our core values of Quality, Integrity, Innovation, and Super Service was clear throughout. EFCO’s team provided hands-on support from the project’s inception through completion. On-site field service, combined with ongoing technical assistance, ensured that BNA had the resources and expertise necessary to keep the project moving smoothly.

EFCO EQUIPMENT

HD BRIDGE OVERHANG, EFCO C-Caddy, E-BEAM?

EFCO FORMWORK SPECIALISTS - COLUMBUS

Eddie George, Sr. Territory Manager

Pete Dellerba, Major Projects

Adam Tagman, Formwork Checker 2

Brian Jenne, Field Supervisor

Andrew L. Pearson, P.E., Product Engineer & Efficiency Manager

Nicole Bramow, Project Engineer

BNA Constructors USA J.V.

Brett Brigham, U.S. Bridge Superintendent

Ankur Singh P.E., Lead Engineer Design/Construction

Chris Haskins P.E., Lead Approach Engineer – U.S. Bridge

Amer Zaidi, Approach Field Engineer

Lorie Lonchamp, Approach Field Engineer

Domenic Boccanfuso, Approach Field Engineer