Windsor-Detroit Tunnel to close completely for 10 days in October

The Detroit-Windsor tunnel will completely shut down for 10 days for repairs.

The crossing will closeon October20 at 8 p.m. andwill reopen on October30 at 5:30 a.m. This is in addition to weeknight closuresbeginning October 30th,for an estimated seven-month period.

• Multi-million dollar project will close Detroit-Windsor tunnel every weeknight for months
• Detroit Windsor Tunnel renovations delayed until 2017

"We met with the folks at the Detroit-Windsor tunnel and with the customs officials on both sides of the border and emergency services to figure out a plan to make this as smooth as possible for the two weeks," said StanKorosec, director of securityat the Ambassador Bridge company.

Korosecsaid that customs officers who would normally be stationed at the tunnelwill move over to the bridge to handle extra traffic,especially during busier commuter hours including the morning and evening rush hours.

"We'll have extra staff on as well at our toll facility and traffic directors," Korosec added. "We don't anticipate any major delays because of it."

An inspection found that the 87-year-old ceiling slab wasshowing signs of wear and tear from moisture, road salt and exhaust and needs to be replaced.

Vice-president of theDetroit-Windsor Tunnel,Trevor Pearce, said thechange inschedule was due to ''a request by stakeholders'' and to ''accommodate their customers'.'

Pearce said it was "absolutely not due to any urgency in repairs.''

The project will cost an estimated $21.6 million dollars.

"I think the plan may not have been thought out too well," said Scott Bulych, who uses the tunnel every day. "Commuters are going to be unduly inconvenienced ."

He added the bridge was never prepared for the level of commuters who will be using it for the 10 days.

"I foresee a lot of frustration," he said. "I also foresee increasing my commuting time from 35-45 minutes."