This day in history: Detroit-Windsor Tunnel opens to traffic in 1930
(CBS DETROIT) - On this day in 1930, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel opened to public traffic.
The tunnel is an international connection between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, and is the only underwater international passenger car border crossing, according to the tunnel's website.
It opened about a year after the Ambassador Bridge opened to the public on Nov. 11, 1929.
The tunnel was a $23 million project, and construction took about 26 months. It ended up opening a year ahead of the expected schedule.
It is jointly owned by Detroit and Windsor and operated under two separate agreements.
The tunnel was constructed with an elaborate ventilation system, and about $1.5 million cubic feet of air is pumped into the tunnel every minute.
To do this, there are ventilation towers that are approximately 100 feet high located at each end of the tunnel. When
Each tower supports ventilation for half of the tunnel. According to the tunnel's website, this ventilation system is modeled after the Holland Tunnel in New York. The Holland Tunnel connects Hudson Square and Lower Manhattan under the Hudson River. It opened on Nov. 13, 1927.
According to tunnel officials, in 1993, a $50 million renovation project was started. It included a new road surface, new sidewall tiling, new lighting, video surveillance and restoration of its stone cover beneath the Detroit River.
The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel has about 12,000 cars passing through every day. In addition, approximately four million vehicles go through the tunnel each year.
In addition to the tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge, another connection between Detroit and Windsor is being constructed.
Construction on the Gordie Howe International Bridge started in 2018 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
For more information on this bridge, visit here.
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