A major new bridge connecting Canada and the United States opened to commercial and passenger traffic Monday, marking the completion of a yearslong infrastructure project aimed at boosting cross-border trade despite recent political strains between the neighboring allies.
Descendants of Gordie Howe, the hockey legend whose name is on the bridge, were among the first to cross over the Detroit River, which separates the Motor City from Windsor, Ontario. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., rode a motorcycle, while Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer drove a Ford Mustang with the top down.
The six-lane span, which was built by Canada at a cost of $6.4 billion Canadian, now becomes a less-expensive alternative to the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, which had a monopoly on big trucks carrying goods worth billions between the two countries, especially in service to the auto industry.
"There are thousands of trucks that go over” daily, said Kevin Ketels, a business professor who teaches supply chain management at Wayne State University.
Jim Pereira, who was hauling auto parts for Ontario-based Onfreight Logistics, was recognized as the first trucker to arrive in Detroit. He blasted his air horn a few times and stepped down from the wheel to take selfies with customs officers and exchange high-fives.
