U.S. border agents stop Canadian felon who crossed Gordie Howe Bridge on foot

The Gordie Howe International Bridge from Windsor to Detroit is not yet open to traffic, but that didn’t stop one man from crossing it this month.

In a statement to National Post, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said the incident, which took place on March 6, involved a 28-year-old Canadian who crossed from the Canadian side.

“Officers took the man into custody and determined through an initial investigation that he had crossed the bridge on foot from Canada,” a CBP agent said. “The man, who has a criminal history including prior sexual assault and theft convictions, was returned to Canada and barred from re-entry into the United States.”

The agent added: “The integrity of our international crossings is vital to our nation’s security. CBP officers work diligently every day to protect our borders, and this incident is another example of their commitment to safeguarding the homeland.”

Questions on how the man gained access to the bridge site in Canada were directed to Canadian authorities. The Canada Border Services Agency then directed questions to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. National Post has reached out for more information.

The bridge has been under construction since 2019, with several delays in its scheduled opening. Most recently, bridge officials said it would begin operations in early 2026, but did not give a precise date.

Last week, the Detroit News quoted Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority spokeswoman Heather Grondin: “While an opening date has not yet been set for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the project team is progressing well toward opening (it) this spring.”

Grondin added: “The exact opening date depends on the completion of our ongoing quality reviews and testing and commissioning activities. We will provide an update once that information is available.”

The foot crossing was not the first time unauthorized traffic has made it onto the bridge. Last September , a transport truck was able to drive onto the bridge from the U.S. side before it was stopped by officers with the Canada Border Services Agency.

CBSA said the truck was intercepted before reaching the Canadian Port of Entry, and was turned around and sent back to the U.S. According to Fox News , no firearms were drawn during the incident, and the driver did not face any legal penalty for accidentally driving on the bridge.

Last week, the new bridge released its fee structure . Small and medium-sized passenger vehicles will pay $5.75 to cross, with trailers costing an additional $5.75. Large passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles will have to pay $8.75 per axle.

The price is less than the existing Ambassador Bridge , which charges $10 for cars, buses and motorcycles, with trailers adding another $10.

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