For the first time in over ninety years, there's a new international crossing between the US and Canada in Detroit. The Gordie Howe Bridge, built by the government of Canada at no cost to the United States, joins the Ambassador Bridge (1929) and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel (1930) in connecting Detroit and Windsor. The bridge will vastly increase trade capacity between the industrial Midwest and Canada's most populated area. With direct connections to limited access highways on both sides, the new bridge will avoid the mess of surface street routes required to use the other crossings.
In addition to vehicle traffic, and unlike the other crossings, the Gordie Howe International Bridge allows for pedestrian and bike traffic to cross between the two countries. While vehicles pay a toll to cross, there's no charge for pedestrians and cyclists.
This morning, the family of Gordie Howe had the honor of being the first to officially cross the bridge.