Current Progress

Completion, Testing, and Commissioning
(2025 – Present)

Infrastructure & Construction Wrap-Up

The project reached a pivotal structural milestone in early 2025 following the 2024 "handshake" that connected the international spans. Throughout the spring, crews paved the roadway, stressed the 216 stay cables to their final tensions, and applied specialized protective finishings to the cabling system. By the fall, the bridge reached a symbolic turning point as the massive 243-metre tower cranes — which had dominated the Windsor-Detroit skyline for years — were dismantled. With the heavy structural work concluded, teams started installing "operational systems," such as fire suppression, drainage, and means-restriction fencing. This fencing serves as an essential safety and security measure required for modern international crossings.

Parallel to the bridge work, focus shifted toward the Ports of Entry (POE) and the Michigan Interchange. At the U.S. POE, the 1,222-metre-long Jefferson Avenue safety wall was completed along the southern boundary, while interior finishings progressed across all plaza buildings. On the pavement, work advanced on the 24 primary inspection lanes in Canada and the 36 lanes in the U.S. By late 2025, the 16 Canadian toll booths reached near-completion, featuring integrated technologies to process U.S. and Canadian currency, credit/debit payments, and automated customer accounts. Finally, the paving of the I-75 ramps at the Interchange established the ultimate physical link between the Canadian border and the American interstate system.

Community Benefits & Neighbourhood Infrastructure

Complementing the physical build, 2025 was defined by the delivery of major neighbourhood infrastructure. In Windsor, the Sandwich Street reconstruction reached a significant milestone in June, modernizing the historic corridor with new pavement and heritage-inspired aesthetics. This was followed by the official opening of the Broadway Street Multi-Use Path and the Malden Park Trailhead, which provided the first functional connections for cyclists and pedestrians to the bridge’s future path. Simultaneously, the project celebrated the launch of the Sandwich Cultural Pier, transforming a former industrial site into a community observation point overlooking the Detroit River.

Across the border, the Delray Home Improvement Program concluded after delivering essential repairs to over 100 homes, ensuring residential stability alongside the new infrastructure. During the summer and fall, local road improvements across Delray saw miles of streets repaved and ADA-compliant ramps upgraded to manage shifting traffic patterns. By August 2025, the Community Organization Investment (COI) initiative completed its five-year run, releasing a final CAD 300,000 (~USD 225,000) to local recipients. Since 2020, this program has injected a total of CAD 1 million (~USD 750,000) into 67 local projects.

The project’s most enduring impact, however, is its human legacy. As of April 2026, the Workforce Development and Participation Strategy reports that over 15,410 individuals have been oriented to the project, with 41% of the workforce hired locally. By engaging 290 local businesses and facilitating 875 apprenticeship opportunities and 455 co-operative learning experiences, the project ensures the bridge was built not just for the region, but by its own residents.

Testing & Operationalization

As the project entered the winter of 2025, the focus transitioned from physical labour to a rigorous Testing and Commissioning phase. In February 2026, border agencies began running "dry runs" of customs inspection procedures and testing cross-border traffic management systems. Supported by an independent third-party commissioning specialist, these high-stakes simulations identify "bugs" in software and traffic flow across several integrated systems:

• Intelligent Transportation System (ITS): Sensors, cameras, and data systems are calibrated to provide accurate, real-time traffic information
• Toll Infrastructure: Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tag readers, payment processing systems, and customer account integration are assessed for reliability
• Traffic Management Centre: Screens, software, and communication tools are tested to manage activity and respond to incidents at toll lanes, both ports of entry and on the bridge
• Dynamic Lane Management: Electronic signs, signals, and barriers are verified to redirect lanes safely based on traffic demand
• Border Inspection Technologies: Scanning, imaging and detection equipment is measured at primary inspection lanes and client processing buildings to meet government-mandated requirements
• Large-Scale Imaging Technology: X-ray and scanning systems for transport trucks are inspected to ensure accurate, reliable detection for security and customs inspections
• Security Infrastructure: CCTV cameras, access controls, fire alarms and emergency response systems are evaluated to provide fully integrated coverage for safety and security
• Lighting: On-site and aesthetic lighting systems are validated for proper operation, visibility and safety while meeting architectural and visual design standards
• Communications: Roadside messages, public alerts and staff networks are checked to ensure timely, accurate information delivery
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC): Systems are audited to maintain proper temperature, airflow and air quality in operational facilities, control rooms and primary inspection booths

To prepare the public for the transition, the team launched the “Breakaway with Gordie Howe International Bridge” campaign in March 2026. This initiative introduced the formal toll rates and opened registration for Personal and Business Accounts, allowing travellers to secure electronic transponders well in advance of opening day.

Despite this technical progress, the final phase has encountered unexpected political friction. Ongoing discussions in the U.S. regarding the bridge's ownership and Canada’s financial recovery structure highlight the inherent complexities of international infrastructure. As April 2026 progresses, these diplomatic finalizations continue alongside the final "punch list" inspections—including the validation of the Great Lakes-themed architectural lighting—marking the last steps before the bridge officially opens to the world.