Gordie Howe bridge opens today: What you need to cross
The Gordie Howe bridge opens to public motorists at noon Monday, July 27, 2026, linking Detroit and Windsor as the newest U.S.-Canada crossing. Drivers need valid border ID and should expect one-way personal-vehicle tolls of $5.75 USD ($8 CAD), collected only on the Canadian side.
Key Takeaways
- Vehicle traffic begins at noon July 27 on the $4.7 billion, six-lane Gordie Howe International Bridge.
- Personal cars pay $5.75 USD ($8 CAD) one way; tolls are collected only in Windsor for both directions.
- Bring a passport, passport card, enhanced license, or NEXUS card to enter Canada.
- The free pedestrian and bike path opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5.
- Breakaway members can save up to 25% on standard tolls with RFID lane access.
When does the Gordie Howe bridge open and how do you get there?
The world's newest international crossing over the Detroit River opens to public motorists at noon Monday, July 27. The $4.7 billion span sits about one mile west of the Ambassador Bridge and is North America's longest cable-stayed bridge, with 720-foot towers.
U.S. drivers reach it via a 1.8-mile I-75 interchange between Springwells Street and Clark Avenue in Detroit, with ramps to the new U.S. Port of Entry. In Windsor, approaches run via Highway 401, the E.C. Row Expressway, and Ojibway Parkway. Michigan and Canada own the crossing, paid for almost entirely by Canada.
The bridge has three travel lanes each way plus a full-width emergency lane. There are 24 Canadian and 36 U.S. primary inspection lanes, and 16 Canadian toll booths. For more travel alerts, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
How much does it cost to cross the Gordie Howe bridge?
According to the Detroit Free Press, a one-way personal-vehicle toll is $5.75 USD or $8 CAD. A personal vehicle with a trailer is $11.50 USD or $16 CAD. Large commercial, passenger, oversized, or hazardous vehicles cost $8.75 per axle USD or $12 CAD.
Fares are collected only on the Canadian side for both directions. Pay with cash, credit or debit cards, or digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Cash is attended-lane only; cards and wallets work in automated and attended lanes.
The Breakaway program offers up to 25% off, RFID lane access, and free tags. Breakaway personal tolls drop to $4.35 USD or $6 CAD—less than half the Ambassador Bridge ($10) and Detroit-Windsor Tunnel ($9) passenger rates. Registration is free on the official bridge website, with up to four vehicles per passenger account.
What ID do you need, and when can bikes and pedestrians cross?
Entering Canada requires a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license, or NEXUS card. Enhanced licenses come from Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington and allow land or sea crossings into Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean nations.
A free multiuse path for pedestrians and cyclists opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5. The U.S. entrance is near Delray Park at Rademacher Street and West Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, linking to the Joe Louis Greenway and Iron Belle Trail. Border ID is still required.
Will the Gordie Howe bridge ease truck traffic in Detroit neighborhoods?
Leaders hope freeway-to-freeway routing will keep more long-haul trucks off local streets. Homeland Security projects the span will take about one-third of regional border traffic, including 44.5% of freight. Up to 10,000 trucks currently cross the Ambassador daily.
Advocates say Delray near the new customs plaza may still see heavy truck volume from local industry. Detroit banned commercial freight trucks from residential side streets and select corridors, with a police Motor Carrier Unit set to enforce the rules.