Traffic will begin to flow across a new bridge over the Detroit River that will serve as a critical route for commerce, jobs and tourism between Canada and the U.S. Last week, Canada celebrated the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a ribbon cutting…

DETROIT– Traffic will begin flowing Monday across a new bridge over the Detroit River that will serve as a critical route for commerce, jobs and tourism between Canada and the United States.

Last week, Canada celebrated the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Windsor, Ontario, to mark the completion of the multi-million-dollar, multi-year project.

Representatives from the United States and Michigan were not invited to Friday’s meeting after President Donald Trump suddenly announced 50% tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States.

The bridge is named for Howe, a Canadian icon known as “Mr. Hockey” who wore the number 9 while playing across the Detroit River for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He died in 2016.

More than 70% of Canada’s exports go to the United States, making the United States its largest trading partner, and Detroit is the number one port for truck traffic on the US-Canada border, according to the US Department of Transportation.

For nearly a century, the privately owned Ambassador Bridge has been the only route for large commercial trucks traveling between the United States and Canada in Detroit. The companies say the new six-lane stretch will be faster and less expensive.

The span is 2.4 kilometers (1.5 mi) long and rises 46 meters (151 ft) above the river at its highest point. Pedestrians and cyclists carrying proper identification will be able to cross it free of charge in a few weeks.

Construction of the new bridge began in 2018, but took years, in part due to the global slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada paid for the construction of the bridge at an estimated cost of $6.4 billion. A recent agreement calls for Canada to share some toll revenue with the U.S. government for 15 years.

Trump praised his administration for that deal in a social media post as the event was taking place in Ontario. “We changed the terms,” ​​he said.

Michigan will also get a share, but not until Canada’s costs are recovered, probably decades from now.