Windsor officials concerned about debris falling from Ambassador Bridge

City officials in Windsor are concerned that falling debris is an ongoing safety concern for the people and cars passing underneath the Ambassador Bridge, and they are urging the span's owners to complete any needed repairs to the structure.

On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Drew Dilkens held a news conference in his office, in which he and other officials spoke to members of the media with pieces of bridge debris laid out on a desk in front of them. 

"Just imagine, if you were walking on the sidewalk and that fell from 50 feet above your head and hit you," said Dilkens at the news conference, which was held in his office at city hall. "There's no doubt that that could have a very serious impact on any human being up to and including death."

Dilkens said the city cannot force the bridge company make any repairs. Only Transport Canada has that authority, he said.

The mayor said Transport Canada inspectors were coming to Windsor in the wake of the city's concerns.

"They're taking the matter very, very seriously," said Dilkens.

On Thursday afternoon, Transport Canada officials were on site near the intersection of Huron Church Road and Donnelly Street. However, they did not confirm to CBC News that they were inspectors.

Tip from a resident

Dilkens said a resident alerted the city of the debris issue at the end of September, which prompted them to watch for proof of the problem. The tip was that the concrete had fallen within arm's reach of the sidewalk on Wyandotte Street West.

"Our public works department was sent to inspect the area every day and to look for evidence of an issue at that location," Dilkens said.

When debris fell from the bridge on Oct. 9, near the sidewalk lying below on Wyandotte Street West, the city felt compelled to act. That's when it closed the street between Huron Church Road and Indian Road.

"That was the start of the Thanksgiving weekend here and a decision was made...to close Wyandotte Street and make sure that we could ensure the safety of pedestrians on the sidewalks and of course motorists in that particular area," he said.

Dilkens said the city then arranged for an independent structural engineer to visually inspect parts of the bridge that are above the city's roads and sidewalks.

"We received a verbal report at the end of the day yesterday, which prompted us to close additional streets and a small portion of Huron Church that goes under the Ambassador Bridge," said Dilkens.

Additional closures possible

Dilkens said the city is "very comfortable" with the actions it has taken so far, regarding the bridge. He said that additional street closures are possible.

"Our initial inspection shows that there is some reason for concern, but not to the same extent at this point that we've seen at these particular locations for which we've closed the roads already," said Dilkens.

The afternoon news conference in the mayor's office came hours after the company that owns the bridge released a statement, accusing the city of "taunting" it over the problems with the debris.

The mayor denied this was this case.

"We're not objecting to any repairs," said Dilkens.

"We actually think the Ambassador Bridge should be spending money to repair the problems and deficiencies that are pretty evident to people who walk along the sidewalk there."

The company's statement started off by telling the city that "the game of holding the Ambassador Bridge rebuild work at bay until the government can get their bridge built is a dangerous one."

Dilkens took issue with the company's use of the word game.

"We don't consider this to be a game," he said. "We consider this to be a significant safety issue."

Brian Masse, the New Democratic Party candidate and incumbent in Windsor West, said that while the city and the bridge company may be at odds, the issue with the debris is an issue for the community, too.

This includes students trying to get to the University of Windsor campus, ambulances rushing to calls and the many people who work or operate businesses in the area, he said.