U.S. and Canada may see new international bridge between Ottawa and Michigan
June 14, 2012
Plans to build a new bridge between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ottawa, were announced recently. This will be the second international bridge between the two cities, and it will help to sustain trade between the U.S. and Canada, according to Bloomberg BusinessWeek. A statement made by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) indicates Canadian and Michigan officials are meeting this week to decide whether to go ahead with construction of the second bridge.
"To put it into perspective, more automotive trade happens in two weeks today between Canada and the U.S. than occurred in an entire year when the Ambassador Bridge was originally built in 1929," said Mathew Wilson, vice president of national policy for CME. "For Canada and U.S. integrated industry, a new crossing is critical for long-term economic competitiveness and job creation."
The Ambassador Bridge currently facilitates about 25 percent of all trade between the two nations. However, the 83-year-old structure is not without its problems, especially as truck traffic is projected to grow three times in size in the next three decades, BusinessWeek reports.
While a second bridge would ease traffic on the Ambassador and allow for trade growth, the news source indicates the Detroit International Bridge Company may attempt to stop construction. Manuel Moroun, who owns both the bridge company and the Ambassador Bridge, fears having a publicly financed competitor build a second ramp between the U.S. and Canada would threaten to put the U.S.-based company out of business and would much prefer his company handles the project. BusinessWeek reports there is a chance Moroun may sue if plans for the second bridge are approved.
Those who want to get the latest updates on the bridge project can make calls to Canada with international phone cards.