An average of 14,000 vehicles per day cross the Blue Water Bridge with as many 20,000 vehicles crossing on a busy day. As many as 6,000 trucks may cross the bridge on a heavy day.
Blue Water Bridge Facility Statistics
BUILDINGS
Administration
22,208 sft
Truck Cargo
17,795 sft
Maintenance
10,188 sft
Cold Storage
12,460 sft
Elevator/Stair
936 sft
Canopy Bldg.
324 sft
Tunnels
4508 sft
Total*
68,419 sft
* Does not include 18 booths.
PLAZA & GROUNDS
Elevated Plaza
12 acres
Bridge Grounds
41 acres
Total
53 acres
BRIDGES
Bridge
Designator
Deck Area
Original Blue Water Bridge
B04
157,191 sft
Second Blue Water Bridge
B04
174,271 sft
Bridge over Circle Ramp
S24
7,258 sft
Bridge over Pine Grove Ave.
S25
45,100 sft
Total
383,720 sft
BRIDGE STATISTICS
Item
Original Bridge
Second Bridge
Type of Bridge
Cantilever Truss
Continuous Tied Arch
Total length of bridge (excluding plazas)
6,178'
6,109' (1862m)
Number of Spans
72
39
Main Span Length
871'
922' (281m)
Truss/Arch Span Length
1,576'
1,480' (451m)
Deck Width
38'
51' (15.6m)
Lanes/Width
3/10'-8"
3/12'
Total weight of main span
28,340 tons
20,084 tons
Total weight of American approach
9,940 tons
30,591 tons
Total weight of Canadian approach
11,050 tons
33,353 tons
Total weight of steel and concrete
86,905 tons
84,028 tons
Rivets
2,228,000 (500 tons)
None
Bolts
None
350,000
Steel foundation piling
None
31 miles (50,302m)
Clearance above river
152'
155'
Top of steel above river
210'
233'
Main pier construction
Each main pier contains 10,000 tons of concrete & reinforcing steel resting on rock
Each main pier sits on 144 H-piling driven 105' to bedrock
Construction Commencement
6-24-37
6-15-95
Main span steel joined
5-24-38
11-06-96
Open to Traffic
10-10-38
7-22-97
Cost of Construction
$3,250,000
$79,269,755
Total Cost (Construction, Ferries, Engineering, Right of Way, Environmental Activities, etc)
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