Gordie Howe Bridge (US-Canada)

[Rothman]

I was a little surprised to learn that there won't be a center divider separating U.S.-bound and Canada-bound traffic. Apparently they're going to use a reversible lane set up for one or more of the "middle" lanes for traffic management? Seems like the safety hazard would far outweigh any traffic management benefits.

Lots of reversible lanes out there on bridges that work just fine.

[GaryV]

I didn't even know this was a thing. Do you get some sort of award? Do they give you a plaque or something for doing that? Or is it just up to you to take pictures and have bragging rights?

There's people who go out to the Soo Locks every year to see the first boat of the season go through. In the UP. In March. At midnight.

So why wouldn't being the first vehicle on a new bridge or road be a thing too?

[Sani]

I was a little surprised to learn that there won't be a center divider separating U.S.-bound and Canada-bound traffic. Apparently they're going to use a reversible lane set up for one or more of the "middle" lanes for traffic management? Seems like the safety hazard would far outweigh any traffic management benefits.

There IS a section in the USA's MUTCD regarding 'reversible' lanes. They are separated using dashed double yellow lines and further marked with overhead down pointing green arrows and red 'X'es.

Mike

I'm familiar with the concept, having grown up in Anderson Township in Cincinnati. Beechmont Avenue between Mount Washington and the old El Rancho Rankin motel had a reversible lane when I was growing up, but I understand it's just two lanes in each direction now after several nasty head-on collisions. I haven't come across any other reversible lanes in my travels since, but I guess I just haven't been to the right places.

[1995hoo]

I didn't even know this was a thing. Do you get some sort of award? Do they give you a plaque or something for doing that? Or is it just up to you to take pictures and have bragging rights?

There's people who go out to the Soo Locks every year to see the first boat of the season go through. In the UP. In March. At midnight.

So why wouldn't being the first vehicle on a new bridge or road be a thing too?

I had seen pictures of the "first car" to cross the Verrazano, so I just did a Google search and I found an old news video. See link below. These guys parked their car at the toll plaza for an entire week in order to be the "first vehicle," although you'll see the video shows the motorcade with Mayor Robert Wagner and Francis Cardinal Spellman crossing the bridge from Brooklyn before those guys were allowed across going the other way.

https://www.facebook.com/realtime1960s/videos/video-nov-21-1964-verrazano-bridge-opens/514014798265902/

[ARMOURERERIC]

I was the first non-governmental vehicle to enter I-664 southbound at College Dr when it opened between college and Bowers Hill.

[wanderer2575]

There are other firsts for which one can strive.  For example, when the middle section of I-696 opened in late 1989, the first multi-car crash occurred not 90 minutes later.

[Sani]

The official Facebook page posted a photo showing the lanes striped and streetlights working:

Did you catch it? On Friday we let you know the #GordieHoweBridge team was testing the 164 streetlights on the bridge. Check out this photo taken in the evening.

We look forward to sharing updates on the 5,000 aesthetic lights that will illuminate the cables, towers, deck and approaches.

[Plutonic Panda]

Are they going to implement a flex lane setup? Because if not why did they not put a concrete divider?

[cbeach40]

Are they going to implement a flex lane setup? Because if not why did they not put a concrete divider?

That is the plan, yes. And even if they were not, a median barrier would not be a good idea as:

1. It's a low speed facility
2. Median barriers increase speed (feels more freeway-like) so it would actually be a disbenefit for safety
3. Would add extra complications/expenses for maintenance
4. would have needed to widen the bridge deck and probably install a median drainage system, so would have added tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars to the price tag.

[Henry]

Are they going to implement a flex lane setup? Because if not why did they not put a concrete divider?

That is the plan, yes. And even if they were not, a median barrier would not be a good idea as:

1. It's a low speed facility
2. Median barriers increase speed (feels more freeway-like) so it would actually be a disbenefit for safety
3. Would add extra complications/expenses for maintenance
4. would have needed to widen the bridge deck and probably install a median drainage system, so would have added tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars to the price tag.

This is similar to the Mackinac Bridge, which carries I-75 from the mainland to the UP, but has a very low median barrier. I wouldn't be surprised if these arguments were made against putting up higher barriers prior to its opening in 1957.

[Sani]

I guess I'm a little surprised that they're not going for a flexible barrier system like the Golden Gate Bridge uses. Maybe having to "cross the border" every time you move them would cause too many headaches for customs and border patrol on both sides? Seems silly not to have some sort of exception for bridge employees to be able to get from one side to the other within the bridge area without having to go through customs, but I heard the workers building the bridge had to go through that hassle after it met in the middle, so I don't know.

[The Ghostbuster]

Would it have been more expensive (or too expensive) to build the bridge as a divided roadway? Also, I think the bridge should have had at least one emergency shoulder as a breakdown lane.

[cbeach40]

I guess I'm a little surprised that they're not going for a flexible barrier system like the Golden Gate Bridge uses.

The lanes on the Golden Gate are about 20% narrower than the GHIB so there is a benefit there to separate opposing traffic. The GHIB is built to 21st century standards so retrofits like that aren't necessary.

Maybe having to "cross the border" every time you move them would cause too many headaches for customs and border patrol on both sides? Seems silly not to have some sort of exception for bridge employees to be able to get from one side to the other within the bridge area without having to go through customs, but I heard the workers building the bridge had to go through that hassle after it met in the middle, so I don't know.

As I understand it the border checks are when they go to exit the secure zone between the two customs plazas, not while working in between them.

Would it have been more expensive (or too expensive) to build the bridge as a divided roadway?

Massively more expensive as it would have necessitated additional bridge deck width for the barrier and left side shoulders. Tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars more expensive.

Plus maintenance - particularly snow removal and deicing - would be made all the more complicated and therefore expensive by designing it that way.

Also, I think the bridge should have had at least one emergency shoulder as a breakdown lane.

It does have them.
https://www.instagram.com/gordiehowebrg/p/DOOPB7kDZjA/

Plus the bridge is heavily monitored so maintenance and tow vehicles would be dispatched immediately after an incident.

[Sani]

Here's the photo cbeach40 mentioned above in case you don't have Instagram.

[Sani]

And I dunno, I'm still skeptical of the safety of, say, directing Canada-bound traffic to use all three EB lanes as well as the WB inside lane on the other side of the double yellow line with just green arrow and red X overhead lights on the bridge to remind EB drivers that it's totally cool to use the lane and WB drivers not to use the left lane.

[Plutonic Panda]

They do it in LA and it works alright.

[Beltway]

Here's the photo cbeach40 mentioned above in case you don't have Instagram.

Six lanes and full shoulders and no space for a median barrier?

Then don't use a double yellow line, as that is illegal to cross.

Use a movable median barrier as on DRPA Walt Whitman, Ben Franklin and Commodore Barry bridges.

[cbeach40]

And I dunno, I'm still skeptical of the safety of, say, directing Canada-bound traffic to use all three EB lanes as well as the WB inside lane on the other side of the double yellow line with just green arrow and red X overhead lights on the bridge to remind EB drivers that it's totally cool to use the lane and WB drivers not to use the left lane.

If it's in a situation with heavily imbalanced flow like that then it only takes a few minutes to deploy pylons similarly to the Ambassador Bridge. But it'll be pretty rare when flow is *that* imbalanced when three lanes (plus a combined 3 more on the nearby crossings) are insufficient.

[Sani]

Ah, okay. So they will deploy some sort of divider to separate traffic in that case — it won't just be the overhead lane indicators.