Gordie Howe International Bridge
The Gordie Howe. International Bridge is the second bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan.[1] It was constructed by the governments of Ontario, and Canada, between 2015 and 2026. The bridge cost $6.4 billion CAD.[2]
The Globe and Mail calls the Windsor-Detroit crossing the most important border crossing for commerce between Canada and the USA.[2]
Even though it was paid for entirely by Canada, President Donald Trump demanded that the USA should own "at least half" of the bridge.[3][4] Trump complained that, while building the bridge, Canadians had not used any US-made steel.[5]
Ownership and competition
[edit | edit source]The 2012 Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement states that the bridge will be jointly owned and operated by Canada and the state of Michigan.[2] While Trump complained that the bridge hadn't been constructed using any US-made steel, The Globe and Mail pointed out that the 2012 agreement laid out how both Canadian and US firms were allowed to submit their products for use during construction.
The bridge joins the privately owned Ambassador bridge and a tunnel as routes to cross the river. The Ambassador bridge is a toll bridge, As of February 2026[update] it costs $10 USD to cross from Detroit to Windsor, and $14 CAD to cross from Windsor to Detroit. The family which owns the Ambassador bridge lobbied heavily to prevent the Gordie Howe bridge from being built. The toll to use the Gordie Howe bridge hasn't been set, but it is expected to be competitive with the Ambassador bridge toll. The toll will only be levied when crossing from Windsor to Detroit. Authorities say the toll will be dropped when the bridge's construction has been paid down.
As of January 2, 2026[update] it costs $9.25 USD to cross using the Detroit Windsor Tunnel.[6]
Design
[edit | edit source]The bridge is cable-stayed, with 3 lanes of traffic in either direction. The parks for inspection booths are extensive, 53 hectares (130 acres) on the Canadian side, and 68 hectares (170 acres) on the American side.[7]
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- ↑
Chris Cameron; Vjosa Isai; Ian Austen (2026-02-10). "Trump Threatens to Block Opening of Gordie Howe International Bridge to Canada". The New York Times. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
Amid a trade war and a deepening rift between the United States and its northern neighbor, Mr. Trump said that he would “not allow” the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, scheduled to open early this year for traffic between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, 'until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve.'
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2
Steven Chase (2026-02-09). "Ford addresses Trump's threats to block Gordie Howe bridge". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
The $6.4-billion bridge between Windsor and Detroit was funded by the Canadian government and was intended by Ottawa to provide another crossing option along the most important trade artery between Canada and the United States.
- ↑ "Trump demands 'at least' half US ownership of bridge Canada paid for". National Post. 2026-02-09. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ↑ "FURIOUS Canada RESPONDS STRONGLY to Trump ATTACK!!!". Meidas Touch channel via YouTube. 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ↑
Mike Crawley (2026-02-09). "Trump threatens to block opikeening of new bridge between Windsor and Detroit". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2026-02-10. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
'I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,' Trump wrote in the post on Monday.
- ↑
Dustin Coffman; Rob Hindi (2026-01-02). "Canada-bound motorists to pay more at Detroit-Windsor Tunnel". CTV News. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
Effective Jan. 5, 2026, the Detroit Windsor Tunnel will implement a toll rate increase of $0.75 from $8.25 USD to $9 USD. Motorists enrolled in the pre-paid program will see the toll increase from $8 CAD to $9.25 CAD.
- ↑ There will be 24 inspection booths on the Canadian side, and 36 on the American side. Expressways, i-75 on the American side,and Highway 401 on the Canadian side will connect directly to the inspection parks.
References
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