Michigan Democrats issued a news release on Thursday calling on President Donald Trump to endorse the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge as the project nears completion.
“The Gordie Howe Bridge is nearly finished and the Customs staff are ‘ready to go,’ and it’s well past time for Donald Trump and Republicans to quit playing political games and open this bridge, which is a game-changer for our economy,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel wrote in a statement. “… Every day that Trump keeps the bridge closed is a day that our economy suffers even more.”
The release was prompted by a Detroit News report last week that the $4.5 billion bridge connecting Detroit to Canada could be “days away” from completion.
Construction of the bridge — which is jointly owned by Michigan and Canada — began in 2018, and is mostly being financed by Canada with the intention of recouping the money through toll revenue upon the bridge’s opening. Earlier this year, Trump threatened to keep the bridge closed unless the United States is “fully compensated” by Canada for its portion of the costs.
Read more: Windsor mayor pushes back on US stance as Gordie Howe Bridge opening delayed
In a video posted to X on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township) suggested that the bridge’s opening should be contingent on Canada agreeing to do more to manage wildfires and reduce carbon emissions.
“We have to work in close cooperation with Ottawa to make sure they are also managing their business so we can keep our people healthy, and we can keep our relationship strong,” he said.
The bridge will be the third border crossing between Detroit and Ontario, joining the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and is expected to have a big impact on Michigan’s economy.
The Windsor-Detroit corridor handles about 25% of all Canada-U.S. truck trade, moving tens of billions in goods each year.
“Michigan’s economy is already struggling under the weight of the GOP’s price-hiking agenda and reckless tariffs,” said Hertel. “Every day that Trump keeps the bridge closed is a day that our economy suffers even more.”
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