Workforce Increased For Tunnel Work says DetroitWindsor Tunnel Official

There has been an increase in the workforce in the construction work in the tunnel according to a Detroit-Windsor Tunnel official.

As AM800 News reported Tuesday, Carolyn Brown, Corporate Leader of Transportation Services for the City of Windsor partially blamed the lack of enough workers for another delay in opening the tunnel 24-7.

There have been overnight closures from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday since October, as crews work to fix the ceiling.

The $22-million tunnel ceiling project was originally scheduled to be done in mid-June, but it was extended to the end of October and is now slated to open at the end of the year.

But speaking on AM800's the Morning Drive, Tunnel Director of Operations Robert Howell says crews encountered some complications with the project.

He says the contractor has hired more workers, but given all the construction projects around Michigan, it has been tough to find enough workers.

"We have put pressure on the contractor and there has been an increase in the manpower on the job," he says.

He adds a lot has changed with construction standards since the tunnel was built.

"You are dealing with infrastructure built around 1930 and over the years, not only were things different as far as the construction, installation and methodology back at that time," he says.

Brown says the city had initially budgeted a revenue loss of $740,000 through the loss of tunnel tolls, but the figure will climb as the overnight closure continues.