Detroit bridge to Canada will create construction jobs, study shows

Posted by IronPlanet on Jun 14, 2012 2:58:00 AM

A proposed bridge between Detroit and the city of Windsor in Ontario, Canada, will offer a significant boost to the economy of both cities and create hundreds of construction jobs, according to a new study.

The Detroit Free Press reports a study by the Center for Automotive Research shows great potential for the proposed bridge. Two bridges already link the cities, but a third bridge could add convenience and increase the freight shipping capability of companies located in the area.

According to the report, 6,000 construction jobs will be created during the first two years of the bridge's construction. For the final two years of construction, approximately 5,100 jobs will remain.

However, the benefits of the bridge are not exclusively temporary. Operation of the bridge combined with the ability to attract new companies to the region will likely create another 1,400 jobs for the city of Detroit, the report states.

From an economic perspective, the bridge will likely pay for itself through increased tax revenue and income for Detroit residents. The study shows an additional $4 billion in income will come to the city from the new bridge, along with $400 million in state and city tax revenue.

"Initially the construction of the bridge itself will serve as an economic stimulus, providing jobs and state revenues," said Kim Hill, the study's lead author. "Once construction is completed and bridge operations have begun, the region's additional freight shipping capability could attract private-sector investment, augmenting the gross regional product and creating more employment opportunities."

Contractors hoping to be chosen for bridge construction will need to invest significantly in construction equipment. The online auction site IronPlanet offers a wide array of aerial work platforms, excavators and much more, often at more affordable prices than buying new.

Topics: Construction, Industry Headlines