Gov. Rick Snyder, Canadian Officials to Announce Joint Panel on Second Detroit Bridge to Canada

Posted on July 30, 2014

DETROIT, MI – Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to make an announcement on the proposed second bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario on Wednesday morning.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the governor and Canadian officials will announce a joint Michigan-Canada panel to oversee the project.

Snyder is scheduled to make the announcement alongside Canadian Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt at a press conference scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in Windsor.

The Canadian government has agreed to pay for most of the cost of building the bridge, and toll money form the U.S. side would help go toward repayment.

The $2.1 billion NITC has cleared several hurdles as it inches nearer to becoming a reality – it is tentatively scheduled to be open to traffic in 2020 – including legal challenges from the company that owns the Ambassador Bridge about two miles upriver.

The U.S. still has to come up with money for a $250 million, stateside customs plaza, and so far there has been no guarantee from Washington that federal money would be available.
Customs plazas in the U.S. fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.

In May, U.S. Homeland Security Sec. Jeh Johnson came to Detroit to tour the area around where the bridge would be built on the city’s southwest side. Speaking later that day at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s headquarters, Johnson said he is committed to finding ways “to promote lawful trade and travel” in Detroit. But in terms of a definitive timeline for any possible funding, Johnson said, “it’s something we’re actively working on.”