The Gordie Howe International Bridge, a major new bridge linking Canada and the U.S. at Detroit opened today to trucks, cars and other vehicles.

The opening makes the climax of a yearslong project that lately had been bruised a bit by international politics.

Descendants of Gordie Howe, the hockey legend whose name is on the bridge, were among the first to cross over the Detroit River, which separates the Motor City from Windsor, Ontario.

Howe is a Canadian icon known as “Mr. Hockey” who wore No. 9 while playing for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He died in 2016.

The span is 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) long and rises 151 feet (46 meters) above the river at its highest point. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to cross it for free, starting August 5, 2026.

A recent agreement between Canada and the Trump administration says Canada will share some toll revenue with the U.S. government for 15 years. Michigan separately negotiated a share in 2012, but it won’t be paid until Canada’s costs are recovered, likely decades from now.

Last week, Canada celebrated the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Windsor. U.S. and Michigan representatives were uninvited after President Donald Trump suddenly announced 50% tariffs on Canadian goods entering America.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 70% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S., making America its largest trade partner, and Detroit is the No. 1 port for truck traffic on the U.S.-Canada border.

Less Expensive Alternative To Ambassador Bridge

The bridge, which was built by Canada at a cost of $6.4 billion Canadian, now becomes a less- expensive alternative to the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, which had a monopoly on big trucks carrying goods worth billions between the two countries, especially in service to the auto industry. “There are thousands of trucks that go over” daily, Kevin Ketels, a business professor who teaches supply chain management at Wayne State University, said.

More to come…