The new 1 1/2-mile Gordie Howe International Bridge crossing from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, arches bright and shiny over the Detroit River, with the potential to create promising new possibilities for Detroit upon its opening (expected by early 2026). According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Windsor-Detroit Gateway, currently including the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, marks the busiest land border crossing between Canada and the U.S. The new six-lane bridge will improve the flow of trade, freight, and travelers, and includes a pedestrian/cycling path that is 12 feet wide.
“We do things like The Battery Show or auto events and/or manufacturing in general,” says Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari. “[Events] are a tremendous attendance driver in this region, and certainly the Canadian market comes across to be a part of it.” Easy accessibility to Canada already is a selling point when Visit Detroit pitches conventions and trade shows. “To have another [option for border crossing] that increases and expedites the journey will be beneficial,” he says.
Molinari cites other appealing aspects of Detroit that include the city’s award-winning riverwalk and Delta Air Lines having its second-largest hub in the world at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, with its increased capacity and opportunities for people to walk or ride bikes across, adds to the list. “It all combines to present a picture to the customer that ‘I want to book here,’” Molinari says.
