By Lynda Myer
A joint venture of Barnard Construction Company and Civil and Building North America (CBNA) has been appointed as the leader for construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac by North American energy company Enbridge.
Linking Michigan’s peninsulas, the Great Lakes Tunnel will be a utility corridor and is going to carry the Line 5 pipeline light crude oil and natural gas liquids as it crosses beneath the lakebed at the Straits.
According to Tom Schwartz, senior vice-president liquids pipelines, Enbridge Strategic Projects and Partnerships: “The bored tunnel could also be used to house other utilities. This agreement with Barnard and CBNA marks a milestone for this historic project. The selection of these two world-class companies reinforces our commitment to safely building the Great Lakes Tunnel.”
The stakeholder of Barnard and CBNA will be a 50% partnership under the name Mackinac Straits Partners.
Following that the environmental permits from the US Army Corps of Engineers, would be received Enbridge will commence construction, which could be early 2026.
