DETROIT (WXYZ) — According to a news release from the Canadian Government, the Gordie Howe International Bridge will open for business on July 27.
The release says that Canada and Michigan have agreed to open the bridge then, with the support of the United States Government. The bridge was set for a ribbon-cutting in June, but it was later delayed when Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority Interim CEO Chuck Andary said in a statement that "Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, taking the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues."
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According to the release:
Officials have released the following statements about the opening:
Glenn Stevens Jr., executive director of MichAuto at the Detroit Regional Chamber, explained the new bridge has state-of-the-art security systems and an exit/entryway that leads directly to I-75, which will help when it comes to shipping supplies across the border.
“This new bridge is a six-lane bridge. The current bridge is a four-lane bridge," Stevens said.
Because of that new infrastructure, Stevens expects the bridge to speed up manufacturing and reduce delays for Detroit automakers.
“For the auto industry, which operates J.I.T., Just In Time delivery, everything moves very quickly in a complex supply chain, so this is definitely something that helps that out," he added.
This article was originally published by the Scripps News Group station in Detroit.