New bridge project connecting Detroit and Ontario (how much, neighborhood)

[censusdata]

What are your all's thoughts on the proposed $2 billion USD bridge that would run a couple miles to the south of the Ambassador Bridge? The projected is projected to start soon and be complete by 2020. Is there currently a lot of delays to cross the border? I crossed twice in 1999 pre 9/11 security and it wasn't too bad, I assume it's much worse now.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie...ational_Bridge

[Retroit]

A complete waste of taxpayer dollars. The owner of the Ambassador Bridge has been trying to build a replacement for it with his own money (collected from tolls), but the government refuses to let someone steal from them the opportunity to squander taxpayer dollars.

[DTWflyer]

Its needed primarily because of the amount of commercial trucking traffic, much of it related to the automotive industry that crosses the bridge each day.

Currently all of the traffic was travel down a heavily backed-up commercial corridor with about 20 traffic lights to get from the 401 to the Ambassador Bridge. The Canadian government and City of Windsor wants this bridge to remove all of the truck traffic from Windsor streets. The new bridge will enable a highway-to-highway connection from the 401 to I-75 without going through residential areas in Windsor and Detroit.

The new bridge is needed to remove the bottleneck for commerce, mitigate risk, and remove the power of the current private ownership of the Ambassador Bridge.

[Geo-Aggie]

I echo DTWFlyer. The new bridge is 100% needed and that the owner of the Ambassador Bridge is a complete tool for throwing his money and influence around to block the development (as he's often known for doing) so that he can continue to collect tolls and make a profit off his personally owned bridge. The guy has gone as far as taking both state and provincial governments to court in order to block its construction and tried to get something as straight forward as regular infrastructure development put on the ballot in the entire state (the proposal for the vote was rejected by 60%).

The fact that there isn't two bridges between such a heavily trafficked area is confusing. The Ambassador Bridge dumps right into a residential area, which must be lovely for the residents of Windsor to enjoy all day/night backed up truck traffic, the Del Ray neighborhood is dead and should be converted into industrial by eminent domain-a bridge would help this, and the proposed new bridge would line up with the 401 in Windsor allowing traffic to flow smoothly - all of that makes sense. Manuel Moroun is a bad person looking after only his own self interest and profits. I have zero respect for the guy and I kinda wish he'd just keep his money-hungry political agendas to himself.

[Retroit]

So its Maroun's fault the Canadians haven't updated their infrastructure in 90 years? How much money did we spend just a few years ago to update the customs plaza and the connection to i-75?

[Geo-Aggie]

No, it's his fault for being an unnecessary roadblock to development, so he may continue monopolizing bridge tolls.

[Retroit]

The government has been an unnecessary roadblock to his bridge so they can monopolize the tolls. He wants to use the money he collected from tolls to build a bridge that won't cost the taxpayers anything.

[craig11152]

In my opinion international boarder crossings should be owned and operated by the two Governments involved. I am in favor of the project. Given the economic importance of the crossing having two bridges makes sense.


By way of full disclosure I am not a fan of Matty Moroun. In my personal opinion I think he is a corrupt slumlord.

[Retroit]

The Ambassador Bridge was privately built and has lasted 90 years. Same with the tunnel. Built before socialism infected politics.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by Retroit

The Ambassador Bridge was privately built and has lasted 90 years. Same with the tunnel. Built before socialism infected politics.

Is that you Matty? The tunnel is owned by Detroit and Windsor. Its been owned by those two cities since day one.
The only people who can't see the new bridge is a good thing are Matty and his minions.