The two halves of the Gordie Howe International Bridge have united over the Ontario-Michigan border, a climactic peak in what has been a truly exciting infrastructure project to watch materialize.

The new $6.4 billion international crossing's long-awaited big moment arrived this month when the first girders connected the two sides of the enormous cable-stayed bridge, constructed in tandem by U.S. and Canadian crews.

After further progress on the final section of road deck (known as a mid-span closure piece), this momentous construction milestone was commemorated with a ceremonial cross-border handshake last week, where U.S. and Canadian workers met in the middle of the structure for the first time.

Even more progress has been documented in the days since, as construction crews continue the multi-step process of installing the mid-span closure piece that will officially complete the bridge deck later this month.

📸 More steel has been installed to complete the connection of the #GordieHoweBridge deck. There is still more work to do. We’re on step 9 of this multi-step process. Learn more here: https://t.co/oih68cz6Jm #DeckConnect pic.twitter.com/Gh95CtZDEM

— Gordie Howe International Bridge (@GordieHoweBrg) June 15, 2024

Installation of this final piece of the puzzle is a complex and delicate task expected to last until late June.

📷 Structural steel installation continues to complete the connection of the #GordieHoweBridge deck. There is still more work to do. Here are the steps in this intricate process: https://t.co/oih68cz6Jm #DeckConnect pic.twitter.com/bLp0Ep7ba8

— Gordie Howe International Bridge (@GordieHoweBrg) June 17, 2024

Amid all the excitement of the bridge's forthcoming structural completion, crews celebrated a "topping out" ceremony a dizzying 42 metres above the Detroit River.

🌲Ironworkers on the #GordieHoweBridge project celebrate with a special ceremony dating back more than 1,000 years. Topping Out symbolizes a connection and the evergreen tree indicates a job well done. It's a cherished custom that Ironworkers say brings “good luck”. #DeckConnect pic.twitter.com/EuLqS2cxBM

— Gordie Howe International Bridge (@GordieHoweBrg) June 15, 2024

Since its connection this month, the Gordie Howe Bridge has claimed the crown of North America's longest cable-stayed bridge. Its 2.5-kilometre total length, with a main span of 853 metres, has overtaken previous title holder, the Port Mann Bridge in B.C. which measures 2,020 metres in length.

Once complete next year, the bridge will close a longstanding gap in the busy Detroit-Windsor international trucking corridor, directly connecting Ontario's Highway 401 with Michigan's I-75.