DETROIT – The Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to open to traffic on Monday, July 27.
The bridge is a $4.7 billion ($6.4 billion Canadian) project named after the legendary hockey player. It will provide a passageway for travelers between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.
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The Gordie Howe is owned by Michigan and Canada, but was paid for almost entirely by Canada.
According to officials, the bridge will open to traffic as early as 12 p.m. on Monday, July 27. The toll-free multi-use path will open to walkers and cyclists on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Under construction since 2018, it’s the first new crossing between Ontario and Michigan in over 60 years.
The bridge is designed with six bridge lanes, 16 toll lanes, and 60 Canada and U.S. inspection lanes. Its 720-ft towers are among the tallest structures in the region, and it’s the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.
Why the Gordie Howe International Bridge is important
The new bridge connects I-75 in Detroit to Highway 401 in Ontario. The Detroit Regional Chamber calls it “the most consequential infrastructure project in the state.”
About one-third of all trade between the United States and Canada goes through Detroit, primarily across the privately owned Ambassador Bridge. The nearly 100-year-old, four-lane toll bridge is the busiest international border crossing in North America.
It’s estimated that the Ambassador Bridge handles 40% of all trucking shipments from the United States.
Both the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel raised their toll prices last month.
In addition to providing another way to connect the two countries, the Gordie Howe Bridge will provide direct access to I-75 and I-96 in Michigan, as well as Highway 3 in Ontario, without cutting through city streets. Residents have complained about Ambassador Bridge traffic cutting through neighborhoods.
Timeline of construction
A second bridge proposal first gained traction in the early 2000s but faced legal opposition from the Ambassador Bridge owners.
Groundbreaking on the Gordie Howe International Bridge began in 2018.
“We let politics get ahead of common sense, and that’s what stopped this bridge from moving forward far too long,” said then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. “I’m for the Gordie Howe Bridge because we need it.”
Work on the bridge deck began in 2022 on each side. The decks connected as one span in 2024.
The bridge was expected to open in 2024, but multiple delays pushed it back to early 2026.
The Department of Homeland Security established the Gordie Howe International Bridge as a port of entry on Jan. 30, 2026.
The bridge was expected to open in spring of 2026, but there have been multiple delays. Now, it’s expected to open on July 27.