Windsor mayor: Gordie Howe International Bridge may open as soon as next Monday
While the ribbon-cutting and traffic opening dates for the Gordie Howe International Bridge have not officially been announced, it appears that both events will happen soon to mark the newest border crossing between Detroit and Windsor.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said in an interview with CBS Detroit on Tuesday that, "We're excited at the prospect of the bridge opening ... hopefully Monday of next week."
He said that he is waiting for a formal invitation or an official announcement, but he thought it was likely that a ribbon-cutting would take place on Friday and an opening on Monday.
"Everything's been ready for a couple of months, and so certainly it's just been a matter of working through the president's office and all of the trials and tribulations that he's put in the way of seeing this move forward," the mayor said. "It sounds like we're over that hump now, and things are getting ready to move forward and open, and we certainly look forward to being there. Cutting a ribbon, celebrating this wonderful binational relationship, and the wonderful Gordie Howe Bridge that is the new crossing linking Windsor and Detroit."
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, also spoke with CBS Detroit on Tuesday and said he expects a ribbon cutting "very soon," but added, "I'm going to let the Bridge Authority make the official announcements."
The Gordie Howe International Bridge has been years in the making. It is jointly owned by Michigan and Canada, with Canada financing the $5.7 billion project. The Canadian government plans to recover the funding through toll revenue.
The new bridge will provide a third border crossing option at the Detroit River. The bride authority said in October that they expected to open in spring 2026, and operational system tests started.
In February, President Trump threatened to block the bridge's opening "until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them."
"With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset. The revenues generated because of the U.S. Market will be astronomical," the president said in February.
Michigan Democrats publicly called on Mr. Trump on Thursday to let the opening proceed.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also said last week that his agency is prepared to facilitate trade and travel at the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
"We have the personnel dedicated, ready to move. The contractor hasn't signed off on final stuff. He had a deadline of May 1. He didn't make that deadline, so we're still waiting on that to take place. We're prepared. We're staffed. We're ready to go," Mullin said during a Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing on Tuesday.
Dilkens said his city is prepared for the traffic patterns.
