LANSING – Governor Rick Snyder and the top transportation official from Canada together announced creation of a new authority to oversee the construction of a new bridge from Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit.
While there remains a question of federal funding to construct a customs plaza in Detroit, Snyder and Canadian Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said that would not stand in the way of efforts to begin construction of the bridge, called by Snyder the New International Trade Crossing.
The new authority, called the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, will be an international body. Named by Snyder to the authority were Michael Hayes, Brigit Klohs and Matt Rizik.
At the press conference in Windsor by the Detroit River to announce the authority, Snyder said he remained disturbed that the U.S. government still has not committed to paying for a new toll plaza and that he would remain in talks with them on the issue.
He said the U.S. government almost seemed like it did not want to pay for the plaza it would own and run, which he said was not a rational position.
The new bridge would create around 10,000 construction jobs for several years. It tentatively would open in 2020.
