A new US$4.7 billion bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is on track to open in the coming weeks, a bridge authority said on Monday, despite a threat by US President Donald Trump in February to block its opening.
A formal ribbon-cutting is expected later this week, a source told Reuters. Detroit media outlets reported on Monday the Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to open to traffic on June 15.
Trump in February cited Canada’s refusal to stock some US alcoholic beverages on Canadian store shelves, Canada’s tariffs on dairy products and its trade talks with China as grounds for why he might not allow the bridge to open.
The Canadian embassy in Washington declined to comment as did a spokesperson for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The White House did not immediately comment.
A spokesperson for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority said the project team is progressing well towards an opening by June 21, “which will be a vital economic link between the two countries”.
Construction of the bridge, which began in 2018, was financed by Canada because the US refused to pay for it. The costs will be covered by tolls over 30 years.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said at a Senate hearing last week the department was “good to go” to staff the Gordie Howe bridge.
The new bridge will help ease truck traffic on the privately owned Ambassador Bridge into Detroit, the largest freight port on the US-Canada border, which handled US$126 billion of value traded by commercial trucks as of 2023.
It will cut 20 minutes off the crossing time, saving truckers US$2.3 billion over 30 years, according to a University of Windsor study.
Trump has made a number of threats against Canada in his second term and drastically hiked tariffs on the US northern neighbour. In January, he said he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canada if it follows through on a trade deal with China.
Trump also said in January the US would decertify some Bombardier jets and threatened 50 per cent import tariffs on all aircraft made in Canada until Ottawa certified a number of planes produced by US rival Gulfstream. Trump later dropped the threat after Canada certified some US planes. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
