On Tuesday, Enbridge announced it has retained a joint venture partnership between Barnard Construction Company Inc. and Civil and Building North America Inc. to lead construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac.
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Barnard, based in Bozeman, Montana, and CBNA, based in Miami, Florida, will work with Enbridge to build the tunnel for the state of Michigan. The Great Lakes Tunnel is being designed as a utility corridor to connect Michigan’s peninsulas. The tunnel will house the Line 5 pipeline as it crosses under the lakebed at the straits.
“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,” said Tom Schwartz, senior vice president of Liquids Pipelines, Enbridge Strategic Projects and Partnerships.
Barnard and CBNA have built more than 100 tunnels in 15 countries, equaling more than 372 miles of tunnel. A number of those projects involved geologic conditions similar to those that will exist in the Straits of Mackinac, officials said.
Enbridge is preparing to begin construction as soon as possible following the receipt of environmental permits for the tunnel project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The corps has indicated early 2026 for permit decision making.
