Three reasons the Gordie Howe Bridge is worth a fight

February 14, 2026

The Gordie Howe Bridge connecting Detroit and Canada has taken 14 years to reach near-completion, involving complex international agreements, extensive construction including 12 additional highway bridges on the American side, and creative financing where Canada funded construction to be repaid through tolls. President Trump has threatened to delay the bridge's scheduled opening this year over trade disputes, jeopardizing a critical infrastructure project for the nation's busiest northern border crossing. Detroit currently has inadequate crossing capacity with only the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge handling 8,800-10,000 trucks daily, causing significant congestion, while the smaller Buffalo region has five crossings to Canada.

Who is affected

Detroit region residents and businesses
Canadian government (funded the bridge construction)
Former Republican Governor Rick Snyder (championed the project)
The Moroun family (owners of the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge)
Truck drivers and logistics companies using the Detroit-Canada crossing
Port Huron area (experiencing overflow traffic with 35% growth between 2023-2025)
Automotive industry and related technology sectors in Detroit
Construction crews who completed the physical span
President Donald Trump (threatening to delay opening)
Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association
Communities on both sides of the Detroit River

What action is being taken

President Trump is conditioning the bridge opening on resolution of trade disputes with Canada
The Ambassador Bridge is currently handling 8,800-10,000 trucks daily
Traffic is actively moving from the Ambassador Bridge to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron
The Ambassador Bridge recorded one of its worst years in truck traffic in 2024

Why it matters

This bridge represents a 14-year effort to address critical infrastructure needs at the nation's busiest northern border crossing. Detroit currently has only one viable truck crossing (the Ambassador Bridge) despite having a metro population four times larger than Buffalo, which has five crossings. The Ambassador Bridge's limitations—long lines, high tolls, and poor highway connections—are causing trade traffic to shift 90 minutes away to Port Huron, threatening Detroit's position as an economic gateway. The Gordie Howe Bridge would add essential capacity, improve security through redundancy, and provide public ownership instead of private control of this vital international crossing. The project's completion after extensive political negotiation and Canadian financial investment represents a rare success story that delay would undermine.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com