Work begins on Detroit-Windsor tunnel ceilling renovations

DETROIT (WJBK) - The Detroit-Windsor tunnel was built in the 1920s and is closed to the public now while construction enters the final phase of a $21 million renovation.

The media got a special tour of the tunnel Thursday morning. 

"So while you are in the tunnel, what you saw was two large trucks for capturing the concrete," said Trevor Pearce, VP of operations for the tunnel. "We are slowly removing the tunnel ceiling in a very safe manner that allows us to get ready for the next phase, to put a new ceiling in."

About a mile long, the tunnel is the only under water international border crossing for automobiles in the world. There are more than four million crossings a year.

Keeping the tunnel structurally sound is of the utmost importance. 

"As with concrete of any age, no matter how much maintenance you do, you have to replace it," Pearce said. 

The tunnel will reopen for drivers on Oct. 30 then will be closed off and on for evenings and early mornings so crews can complete their work by June of 2018.
The entire project is being paid for by tolls that were collected – and no, tolls will not go up as a result.