The excitement surrounding the Gordie Howe International Bridge opening was short-lived after officials announced Thursday that a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Friday has been postponed.
Earlier this week, news outlets reported that the bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario would open to traffic on Monday after eight years of construction.
The announcement followed reports earlier this month that construction was nearing completion, though the bridge’s opening remained uncertain after President Donald Trump threatened to block it amid rising trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
The Detroit Free Press reported that the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority released a statement Thursday announcing the delay without providing a specific reason or a new date, saying only that Canada and the U.S. had agreed to take “the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues.”
The international crossing was originally slated to open in late 2024 before being pushed to late 2025 and, most recently, to this spring.
In February, Trump threatened to block the bridge’s opening during a trade dispute with Canada, arguing that the country should “fully compensate” the United States for its support.
However, Canada financed the full cost of the bridge’s construction and will share toll revenue with the Michigan once it repays the debt incurred to build the crossing. Michigan and Canada share joint ownership of the bridge.
The $4.7 billion project includes not only the cable-stayed bridge but also new custom plazas and highway connections on both the Michigan and Ontario sides.
Once open, the Gordie Howe International Bridge will become the third crossing between Windsor and Detroit, joining the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
The structure features the longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge in North America, and its towers are designed to resemble a hockey stick mid-slapshot — a tribute to its namesake, legendary Detroit Red Wings player Gordie Howe, who hailed from Canada.
Sources: The Detroit Free Press, MLive
