The sun was beginning to set as I approached Detroit, Michigan. One of the largest infrastructure projects in North America, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, stood near a partially closed steel mill. The rusting hulks of the mill’s blast furnaces contrasted Detroit’s past and future.
As I made my way to a public park along the west bank of the Detroit River, I could see the grand scale of the still-under-construction Gordie Howe International Bridge. This cable-stayed bridge will span the Detroit River, connecting Interstate 75 in Detroit with Highway 401 in Windsor, Ontario. The bridge will honor his legacy, named after legendary hockey player Gordie Howe, who played 25 years with the Detroit Red Wings and passed away two years before construction started.
The Detroit River has long been a vital transportation link between the United States and Canada since the American Civil War. Initially, ferries were the primary means of transport across the river. Over the years, significant crossings were introduced, such as the Michigan Central Railroad’s railway tunnel in July 1910, the Ambassador Bridge in November 1929, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel in 1930.
By the early 2000s, the Ambassador Bridge had become the busiest crossing on the US-Canada border, accounting for nearly a quarter of all truck traffic between the two nations. The bridge was owned by Manuel “Matty” Moroun, who opposed the construction of a new bridge across the river, fearing it would decrease toll revenue and profits from duty-free sales.
In response to this monopoly and the growing need for an additional crossing, a partnership was formed in the early 2000s, comprising the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Transport Canada, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. They recognized the need for a new Detroit River crossing, and in 2013, Michigan received the necessary permit to build it. Construction began on July 17, 2018, after Canadian Minister of Infrastructure Amarjeet Sohi and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder attended a groundbreaking ceremony.
The project, managed by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, is expected to be completed in 2025.
