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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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A bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada will open to the public just as a trade war develops between the two countries.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, which spans the Detroit River from Michigan to Ontario, will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the country when it opens in late 2025, just a few months after relations between Canada and the U.S. took a turn for the worse in the wake of President Donald Trump's trade policy.
A spokesperson for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) told Newsweek that the bridge project "will address the regional transportation needs of redundancy, capacity, system connectivity and improved border processing that will positively impact the flow of traffic and goods through this key gateway."
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Why It Matters
The idea of the Gordie Howe bridge was first explored by researchers in 2001. A fully outlined proposal was brought forward by Canadian lawmakers in 2009, with approval from Michigan's leadership and the Obama administration coming in 2013. Construction began in 2018, and the project was billed as mutually beneficial for Canadians and Americans, with contractors on both sides of the river used on the project.
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What To Know
But the bridge will finish construction under a different political climate. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority estimates that the structure will be fully operational around October or November as the first year of Trump's second administration draws to a close.
The bridge was funded entirely by the Canadian government, with authorities planning for the $6.4 billion price tag to be funded by the crossing toll, which is expected to raise more than $70 million a year.
Authorities told Newsweek that work was progressing well toward an opening date in fall 2025, but a specific date or month had not been scheduled yet.
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It is a cable-stayed bridge, meaning the supporting cables are connected directly to the bridge's towers rather than the larger overhead cables seen on conventional suspension bridges.
Since the escalation of tariffs on Canada, the country's leadership and public have taken a more critical stance on U.S. relations, with newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney, who campaigned hard on standing up to Trump, declaring that the old relationship with the U.S. was "over."
Original estimates said that roughly 6,000 people would cross the bridge each day, but since the introduction of Trump's tariffs, border crossings in the region have declined drastically, with the other crossings in Windsor seeing 67,000 fewer vehicles in March than the same time last year.
What People Are Saying
Charl van Niekerk, CEO of the WBDA, said in a statement: "The Gordie Howe International Bridge connects more than two countries. It is also a symbol of an enduring friendship and shared environment for Windsor-Detroit, Ontario-Michigan and Canada-US."
The WBDA spokesperson told Newsweek: "It [the bridge] is designed for convenience and time-savings for everyday travellers and commercial customers. It is also the only international crossing between Windsor and Detroit that connects directly to the Ontario highway system and the US interstate system."
What Happens Next
The bridge is expected to open before 2025 ends, with the latest estimates being between October and November.
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Update 5/22/25, 9:02 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from a Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority spokesperson.
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