New U.S.-Canada Bridge Accounts for Nearly Half of Detroit-Windsor Traffic, Data Agency Says

By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA--A preliminary batch of data suggests the new politically contentious bridge connecting Canada and the U.S. accounted for over 40% of motor-vehicle traffic traveling across the Detroit River over a five-day period in late July.

The figures from Statistics Canada indicate that between July 27 and July 31, 37,000 automobiles used the Gordie Howe International Bridge to travel between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. The data-gathering agency added that during the same time period, 52,700 automobiles used either the Ambassador Bridge or the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, which are the other crossings that connect the two auto-focused cities.

Statistics Canada said 4,100 commercial trucks used the Gordie Howe bridge during the five-day period but did not disclose comparable figures for the privately held Ambassador Bridge.

The new 1.5-mile corridor, named after the Canadian hockey legend who won championships with the Detroit Red Wings, opened on July 27 and emerged as a flashpoint in the at-times bitter trade dispute between the U.S. and its northern neighbor. President Trump threatened to block the opening of the bridge, leading to talks that resulted in Canada agreeing to contribute half the bridge's toll revenue to a U.S.-controlled regional-development fund for 15 years. Canada also gave Washington a veto over some toll-rate changes over that period.

Canada financed the construction of the bridge in anticipation that it would use toll revenue to pay off its costs.

The crossing between Detroit and Windsor is among the busiest crossings in terms of trade value, connecting the manufacturing hubs in the U.S. midwest and southern Ontario.

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 11, 2026 10:23 ET (14:23 GMT)