Why Windsor Replaced Dirt with Giant Foam Blocks for Its New Overpass

The city of Windsor has started building the embankments for the new Banwell Road/E.C. Row Expressway overpass with large white blocks rather than traditional soil.

These blocks are expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam, stacked several feet high and looking like oversized Lego pieces.

According to city spokesperson Jill Braido, using EPS blocks helps avoid base ground settlements, a method known as compensated foundations.

Civil engineering professor Mina Lee explains that EPS is about 100 times lighter than regular soil, which reduces the load on Windsor’s clay subsoil that is prone to settlement.

The lighter load improves long‑term stability of the overpass approaches and cuts labour costs compared with using heavy soil or gravel, Braido adds.

The same type of geofoam was used during construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which opened to traffic in July.

Because the blocks are lightweight, fewer truck trips are needed, lowering greenhouse‑gas emissions from transport, Lee notes.

The blocks are made from recycled material and can be recycled again after an expected service life of 50 to 100 years.

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