WASHINGTON — Officials have postponed the debut of a new international bridge spanning the Detroit River after President Donald Trump had previously threatened to prevent its opening due to unresolved matters.
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced Thursday, just one day before a planned ribbon-cutting event, that both nations have decided to postpone the bridge’s launch to allow additional time for addressing remaining concerns.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge represents a joint venture between Canada and Michigan, with traffic expected to begin flowing across it before the end of this month.
Uncertainty surrounding the bridge’s debut had persisted for several months following Trump’s February ultimatum demanding Canada transfer no less than half of the bridge’s ownership to the federal government, along with meeting other undisclosed conditions as part of his ongoing disputes regarding international trade matters.
This week’s distribution of opening ceremony invitations followed discussions between Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Bobby Leddy, a spokesperson for Whitmer, stated: “This project is a powerful example of bipartisan and international cooperation, and the governor looks forward to attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony when it happens.”
