Why the Gordie Howe Bridge Still Can’t Open to Traffic

Linking Detroit in the US and Windsor in Canada, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is complete but still not open to traffic after Washington delayed its launch without explanation.

First approved in 2012, the six-lane cable-stayed crossing has been years in the making. Canada paid for construction, with Michigan holding a stake in the project. 

After years of construction, everything from the bridge itself to the inspection plazas and access roads was completed, and the opening had been expected last month.

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That changed on June 11, when the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority confirmed the opening was being pushed back after both sides agreed there were still “outstanding issues.” 

No one has explained what those issues are.

A few days later, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the delay came at the request of the US. But weeks later, agencies such as Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security have yet to explain why or say when the project might move forward.

Democrat Mallory McMorrow has seized on the issue in her campaign against President Donald Trump. In one ad, she says: “I’ve got one message for the president: Open this damn bridge. You better believe I approve this message.”

Attention has also turned to the competing Ambassador Bridge, owned by the Moroun family, following reports of donations to MAGA Inc. Those claims have circulated widely but have not been publicly addressed by the administration.

McMorrow is in a three-way Democratic primary, and the winner will likely face Republican Mike Rogers. He has also criticised the delay, though he frames it in the context of broader trade tensions, including disputes over Chinese EV imports.

READ MORE: Why Trump Wants to Stop Gordie Howe Bridge Opening

Even though the bridge is physically complete, only the US federal government can authorise the opening of an international crossing. Until that happens, it cannot open.

Frustration is growing on both sides of the border. Former Canadian consul general to Michigan Roy Norton says many people see the delay as being driven less by technical issues than by interests tied to the existing Ambassador Bridge.

Some economists argue the cost is already being felt. Fen Hampson of Carleton University says the delay is slowing trade and is starting to hurt companies that depend on moving goods across the border.

Others are less alarmed. They point out that large border projects are often delayed at the final stage because of security checks and coordination between agencies, and those steps are not always explained publicly.

In Canada, business leaders want the issue resolved without politics getting in the way. Daniel Tisch of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce says the agreement behind the bridge should stand, and shifting explanations from Washington have only added to the confusion, especially after earlier remarks from Donald Trump linking the opening to financial conditions.

— Additional reporting by news agencies.

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