Bridge study shows impact closures have on transportation

A Geotab Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) study on commercial freight data on five key U.S. bridges reveals that closures, whether short or long term, can cause disruptions to the movement of goods beyond the region, have a significant impact on traffic congestion and increase the risk of harsh events.

In its bridge analysis report, which included the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ont., Geotab ITS studied the widespread effects of potential closures to show organizations how they can form better transportation plans with real world data. The study focused on five major U.S. bridges in and across California, New York, Tennessee, Maryland and Michigan and included the impact of closures, severe weather and traffic patterns so that communities can prepare for replacement projects in advance.

“Bridges are critical to communities whether they connect cities, states or large regional hubs and definitely need to be cared for, maintained and replaced. Using our commercial vehicle freight data, we conducted analyses of five important bridges across North America to demonstrate the potential effects of a significant disruption on the surrounding roads, driver safety, and regional economies,” said Nate Veeh, associate vice-president, Geotab ITS. “These bridges had a lot to tell us including how far-reaching the impacts of a potential bridge shutdown could be on more distant locations’ supply chains.”

As one of the primary routes for vehicles entering the U.S. or Canada, the Ambassador Bridge serves as an essential roadway for both passenger and commercial vehicle movement. In 2022, the bridge was home to over 260,000 commercial vehicle trips, with 60 per cent of those trips being taken by heavy-duty, long-haul vehicles.

During a six-day protest that shut down the bridge in 2022, closure impacts were likely felt in cities such as Montreal, Toronto, Columbus and Chicago.

Based on Geotab’s origin and destination analysis, impacts extended as far south as Nashville, Cincinnati and Charleston. Drivers who were forced to take alternate routes experienced increased drive times and heavier arterial road congestion.

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