US-Canada bridge opens in Detroit even as trade disputes test the neighbors’ ties - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reported that the Gordie Howe International Bridge opened Monday to trucks, cars and other vehicles, creating a new Detroit River crossing between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. The opening marked the completion of a yearslong, multibillion-dollar project designed to support trade, jobs and tourism between the United States and Canada, even as broader trade disputes have strained relations between the neighboring countries.

The six-lane bridge was built by Canada at a reported cost of 6.4 billion Canadian dollars. It offers an alternative to the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, long the dominant route for heavy truck traffic carrying goods between the two countries, including shipments tied to the auto industry. AP said descendants of hockey great Gordie Howe, the Canadian-born Detroit Red Wings star for whom the span is named, were among the first to cross. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer drove a Ford Mustang, while U.S. Sen. Gary Peters rode a motorcycle.

AP identified Ontario-based Onfreight Logistics driver Jim Pereira as the first trucker to arrive in Detroit, hauling auto parts. The report also cited Wayne State University business professor Kevin Ketels, who noted the large daily volume of truck traffic using the corridor.

The bridge is significant because Detroit-Windsor is one of North America’s most important commercial border gateways. AP’s account also highlighted the bridge’s design, including cable supports and a profile that Canada’s infrastructure minister likened to a hockey stick blade, underscoring its symbolic as well as economic role.