The Perna Team

The Gordie Howe Bridge won't be opening Monday.

The official delay was announced Thursday morning. The U.S. and Canada need more time to work through outstanding trade issues. No new opening date has been given.

Here's the part that stuck with me most though.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's response was essentially: this bridge was built to last for the long haul. A few more weeks or months isn't going to change that.

"If it takes a little longer it will take a little bit longer," he said. "There is no big drama. This will benefit Canadians, Americans, business, tourists, residents for decades and decades to come."

That's a pretty pragmatic take. The bridge is built to stand for over a century. What's another month or two in that time frame?

Here's why it matters either way.

The Ambassador Bridge currently carries more than 5,000 commercial trucks across the Detroit-Windsor border every single day. Auto industry just-in-time supply chains depend on that crossing staying open. Any disruption (a single accident, weather event, or political dispute) can grind manufacturing across the region to a halt.

The Gordie Howe was built specifically to provide redundancy. The 1.5-mile span will connect I-75 directly to Highway 401 in Ontario. More lanes. Bigger inspection plazas. Modern technology. The two largest land-based ports of entry along the entire U.S.-Canada border.

Personally? I'm most excited about the bike and walking path. The idea that we could one day bike or walk from Detroit to Canada is pretty incredible. We haven't had that option in a very long time.

This bridge will open. Just not Monday. And when it does, it'll have been worth the wait.

I'll keep you posted.

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