When it comes to getting a second bridge linking the United States and Canada in Detroit built, it has been a long, drawn out process.
Between multiple rounds of resistance in the courts and even at the ballot box from the billionaire owner of the Ambassador Bridge, Matty Maroun, as well as the process of acquiring all the land and doing the planning for the second span, the Gordie Howe International Bridge has been progressing in fits and starts with a seemingly indefinite construction start date.
The latest news might signal that there’s some real will between the two countries to make the bridge happen. It was specifically called out in a joint statement put out by the White House from U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Given our shared focus on infrastructure investments, we will encourage opportunities for companies in both countries to create jobs through those investments. In particular, we look forward to the expeditious completion of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will serve as a vital economic link between our two countries.
The original agreement was created in 2012 between former Canadian President Stephen Harper and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. Construction, at the earliest, would start in 2018 and estimates for the project run north of $4.5 billion.
In an arrangement that may be favorable to how President Trump wants to implement his infrastructure plan, where it’s paid through via public/private or other partnerships, Canada has offered to pay the upfront cost of the project and looking to recoup the investment in tolls later on.
As you can see in the video at the top of the post, Canada has already gotten to business doing some of the preliminary work on their side of the river on their Port of Entry.
We’ve written before about how Trump may have a couple of projects in Metro Detroit in his sights. This new bridge to Canada was one of them.
