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The wait is finally over. After years of planning, construction, delays, and plenty of anticipation, the Gordie Howe International Bridge officially opened to vehicle traffic on July 27, 2026, creating a new gateway between Michigan and Ontario and giving travelers a brand new way to cross the Detroit River.

It’s a milestone for international travel, trade, and tourism, but it’s also one of Michigan’s newest attractions. Whether you’re planning a quick day trip to Windsor, crossing into Michigan to explore Detroit and beyond, or simply want to experience one of North America’s most impressive engineering projects, this guide will help you make the most of your first trip across the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

More than Just a Border Crossing Between Canada and Michigan

The Gordie Howe International Bridge isn’t just another border crossing. It’s one of the largest infrastructure projects ever completed between the United States and Canada, with a $4.5 billion (USD) price tag. It directly connects Interstate 75 in Detroit and Ontario’s Highway 401 in Windsor.

The First Public Crossing Between Detroit & Windsor

For decades, travelers and commercial traffic relied primarily on the Ambassador Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel to cross the international border. Those are both privately owned, and the Gordie Howe International Bridge is a public crossing, owned by the Canadian government’s Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, which oversees the crossing and collects tolls under an international agreement with Michigan and the United States.

The Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge in North America

The Gordie Howe International Bridge breaks a record with its length. With a main span stretching 2,799 feet across the Detroit River, it’s now the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America. The design eliminates the need for support piers in the river. That means ships can move freely beneath it while creating a striking new addition to Detroit’s skyline.

Who Was Gordie Howe?

You don’t have to be a hockey fan to recognize Gordie Howe’s name in Michigan. Nicknamed “Mr. Hockey,” Howe spent 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and helped lead the team to four Stanley Cup championships. His toughness, skill, and longevity made him one of the greatest players in NHL history and a beloved figure on both sides of the Detroit River.

Naming the bridge after Howe was especially fitting because his legacy belongs to both countries. Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, he became a sports icon in Detroit, where generations of fans embraced him as one of their own. Like the bridge itself, Gordie Howe represents the close connection between Michigan and Canada.

Howe’s family was the first to drive across the bridge, with his grandson, also named Gordie, saying, “He was such a people person, and I hope that they (travelers) just feel that sense of something grounded, something very humanistic.”

Tips for Driving the Gordie Howe International Bridge

Driving the Gordie Howe International Bridge is an adventure, but it also means crossing an international border. Before you leave, take a few minutes to review the latest entry requirements from the country you’re visiting.

Review Current Entry Requirements

Canada to Michigan: Check with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for current entry requirements, prohibited items, and travel documents.
Michigan to Canada: Check with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for Canada’s latest entry rules and customs regulations.

Bring Your Passport or Travel Documents

No matter which direction you’re traveling, have your passport or other approved travel documents ready. Once you cross the Detroit River, you’ll go through inspection and the toll booths. Follow the overhead signs for lane designations.

Also, it’s worth noting that you cannot stop on the bridge to take photos. The speed limit on the 1.5-mile bridge is 35 miles per hour.

Costs for Crossing the Bridge between Windsor and Detroit

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a toll bridge, with rates based on your vehicle type. For most drivers in a passenger vehicle, the standard one-way toll starts around $5.75 USD ($8 CAD). Drivers can pay with cash, credit or debit cards, or a digital wallet at the toll plaza. Check the toll costs online before your trip as exchange rates can change.

If you plan to cross the bridge regularly, it’s worth looking into Breakaway, the bridge’s electronic toll program. The free program includes a windshield tag that automatically pays your toll and lowers the passenger vehicle rate by 25%, bringing the cost down to $4.35 USD ($6 CAD) per crossing.

Walk or Bike the Gordie Howe International Bridge

Pedestrians and cyclists can cross the Gordie Howe International Bridge for free using the multi-use path. Access is available from West Jefferson Avenue in Detroit and Sandwich Street in Windsor, though there is no on-site parking.

Plan for a 20- to 60-minute crossing, depending on whether you’re walking or riding, and bring water since there are no benches or rest areas along the route. Because you’ll be crossing an international border, you’ll also need valid travel documents and will pass through a border processing building at the end of the path. You can turn around at any point on the path if you don’t want to enter a different country, but you’ll still go through security on the way back.

Quick facts for those walking or biking across the bridge:

Hours are 8am to 8pm between April 1 and October 4; 8am to 4:30pm from November 1 through March 31. Access to the path ends one hour before the listed closing time.
The path is 1.5 miles long with a 5% incline, and the distance between border stations is 1.8 miles.
No pets allowed. Service animals are permitted.
Closures will be posted on the website and social media pages for the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Check before you go.

My Journey Across the Multi-Use Path

The multi-use path across the Gordie Howe International Bridge accommodates walkers and bikers with a thick concrete wall separating them from other traffic. I barely noticed the thundering semis and cars because I was busy admiring the bridge’s architecture, the Detroit skyline, and the river scenery. And pushing through the burn in my quads (the 5% percent incline is no joke).

I had extra fuel from the exciting and new experience of crossing an international border without a motorized vehicle. I could feel it from my fellow travellers, too – many of them greeted me with a smile, a friendly “hello” or “good morning.”

I started my journey at Detroit’s Clark Park. From there, the bridge entrance was easy to find (whenever I doubted my sense of direction, I just looked up for the bridge’s distinctive cable towers). Once I got through border inspection in Canada, I turned left toward Sandwich Street and the multi-use path to downtown Windsor.

Although Detroit and Windsor have been connected and accessible by car for many years, the foot and wheel access opens up exciting new possibilities for international travel!

Awesome Mitten Writer Stefanie Caloia

Don’t Miss the Gordie Howe International Bridge at Night

If your schedule allows, try to see the Gordie Howe International Bridge after sunset. During the day, it’s an engineering marvel. At night, it becomes part of the skyline.

More than 6,000 programmable LED lights highlight the bridge’s soaring towers, cables, and deck, giving it a clean, modern glow that’s visible from both Detroit and Windsor. The lighting isn’t flashy for the sake of being flashy. It’s designed to showcase the bridge’s architecture while limiting light pollution and reducing impacts on migratory birds.

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge connects more than two countries. It is also a symbol of an enduring friendship and shared environment for Windsor-Detroit, Ontario-Michigan and Canada-US. The Aesthetic Bridge Lighting commission will pay homage to the special relationship that exists at the Windsor-Detroit gateway.”
— Charl van Niekerk, CEO, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA)

Whether you’re driving across it or admiring it from the riverfront, the bridge takes on a completely different look after dark.

Things to Do Across the Bridge in Windsor, Ontario

As fun as it might be to just drive across the bridge and back, Detroit’s neighboring international city is filled with ways to spend a day or a weekend.

Windsor Walking Tours

One of the best ways to experience Windsor is on foot, where you can learn the stories behind the streets. The city’s walking tours take you through historic neighborhoods like Walkerville, Sandwich, and Ford City, where you’ll learn about everything from the War of 1812 and the Underground Railroad to Hiram Walker’s legacy and Windsor’s automotive roots.

Eyes on Art – A Visual Journey

If you like finding the artsy side of a destination, the Eyes On Art digital pass is worth downloading before you arrive. This free, self-guided experience takes you to more than 220 murals, sculptures, and public art installations spread across 32 districts in Windsor Essex. It’s a great way to see art while exploring various districts in Windsor. Art enthusiasts will also want to head to the riverfront for Windsor Sculpture Park.

Ojibway Prairie Complex

Trade city streets for one of the rarest landscapes in Canada at the Ojibway Prairie Complex. Just minutes from downtown Windsor, this collection of protected natural areas is home to miles of trails winding through tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, wetlands, and forests. Bring your camera, keep an eye out for wildlife, and enjoy a side of Windsor that surprises just about everyone who visits

Adventure Bay Water Park

Check “Visit a waterpark in Canada” off your bucket list at Adventure Bay Family Water Park. As one of Windsor’s most fun family attractions, you can race down twisting water slides, float the lazy river, or catch waves in the massive wave pool. Little kids have plenty of interactive splash zones to explore, while older visitors can test their skills on the FlowRider surf simulator. Open from late June through early September.

Canadian Aviation Museum

If you’ve ever dreamed of climbing into a vintage aircraft, the Canadian Aviation Museum lets you do exactly that. Explore historic military and civilian aircraft, restoration projects, and aviation exhibits, then take your visit to the next level by booking a flight aboard a vintage Yellow Bird training aircraft for an unforgettable view of Windsor and Detroit from above.