:STATS :MAP 42.2823,-83.0648,Detroit, Michigan. US Port of Entry, one of the largest in North America 42.294,-83.05,Windsor, Ontario. Canadian Port of Entry, largest on the Canada-US border 42.2882,-83.058,Gordie Howe International Bridge. Main span over the Detroit River 42.3314,-83.0457,Ambassador Bridge. The existing crossing, owned by the Moroun family 42.306,-82.9897,Belle Isle Park. Vantage point for the best views of both bridges :INFO Why This Bridge Took So Long The idea of a second Detroit River crossing was first raised in the 1990s. After decades of studies and political arguments, construction began in 2018 under a Public-Private Partnership between the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (a Canadian Crown corporation) and Bridging North America. Canada funded the entire project: the United States never contributed a dollar. A ribbon-cutting was planned for June 12, 2026, invitations had been sent, and then the day before the ceremony it was quietly cancelled. The Moroun family, owners of the rival Ambassador Bridge, had spent years lobbying against the new crossing, and questions about toll-revenue sharing stalled everything at the last moment. On July 11, 2026, Canada and the US reached a deal. July 27 is now confirmed. :GALLERY [displaystyle:travel] :CHECKLIST What to know before you drive across on day one [ ] - Toll: $5.75 USD per passenger car each way ($4.35 with a Breakaway account). Commercial trucks pay $8.75 per axle. Cash is not accepted: use a registered account or a credit card. [ ] - Border formalities still apply. There is a full US Customs plaza on the Michigan side and a CBSA inspection on the Canadian side. Bring a passport or NEXUS card. Crossing time should drop by about 20 minutes versus the Ambassador Bridge at peak. [ ] - The pedestrian and cycling path is open from day one. The path runs the full 2.5 km span with 220-metre towers above you and 46 metres of clearance below. It is free to walk. [ ] - The Ambassador Bridge stays open. The Gordie Howe Bridge does not replace it. The two crossings will complement each other, absorbing overflow and splitting commercial traffic from passenger vehicles. [ ] - Revenue sharing: the US government receives 50 percent of toll revenue and holds a veto on any toll increase greater than 10 percent. Canada funds the 15-year economic development fund for communities on both sides of the crossing. :NOTE The towers were designed to evoke a hockey stick at the moment of a slapshot. That was a deliberate tribute to the bridge's namesake. Gordie Howe played 25 seasons for the Detroit Red Wings and died in 2016, two years before construction began. He never saw a single cable installed. :NOTE The 853-metre main span is the 10th-longest cable-stayed span in the world and the longest composite steel-and-concrete cable-stayed deck ever built. At its highest point the deck sits 46 metres above the Detroit River, enough clearance for the giant Great Lakes freighters that pass beneath it year-round. :QUOTE [quotetype:plain, subtitle:Trump] I was able to cut a MUCH BETTER DEAL for America, allowing the new and spectacular bridge to open at the end of the month. | :NOTE The University of Windsor estimates the time savings from a less-congested crossing will generate $2.3 billion in economic benefits over 30 years through reduced transport costs, better supply chains, and lower fuel consumption. That is roughly a $360 return for every dollar Canada invested. :LINK https://gordiehoweinternationalbridge.com Gordie Howe International Bridge: official site and opening updates