DETROIT (WWJ) -- After being closed for almost a week due to the trucker protests against COVID-19 restrictions, the busiest U.S./Canada border crossing -- the Ambassador Bridge -- is back open.
The Detroit International Bridge Company announced in a statement late Sunday that the Ambassador Bridge is now fully open, allowing the "free flow of commerce" between Canada and the U.S. economies once again.
The reopening followed a state of emergency declared in Ontario and an injunction granted by an Ontario judge -- which took effect on Friday.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a statement after the Ambassador Bridge was reopened, saying the shutdown caused significant financial loss to Michigan's working families and economy as manufacturing plants had to halt production due to a parts shortage and agricultural exports were delayed or blocked.
"This is a win for Michigan's working families who are just trying to do their jobs and for businesses who can get back to shipping their products and produce. It's time to get traffic and trade moving across North America's busiest land border crossing again," said Whitmer. "I will always stand with every hardworking Michigander and do whatever it takes to ensure that our businesses can keep humming along."
Whitmer noted that it's "important" to ensure that this does not happen again.
"I want to thank the unified coalition of business leaders and organizations representing working men and women on both sides of the border for coming together to get this resolved. And I appreciate the U.S. and Canadian governments for hearing Michigan's concerns loud and clear and stepping up to reopen the bridge," added Whitmer. "We will all continue closely monitoring the situation to ensure that traffic safely and swiftly moves across the Ambassador Bridge."
The Michigan Department of Treasury estimates that 10,000 commercial vehicles cross the bridge each day with $325 million of goods. Approximately $50 million is from automotive parts. Nearly 30% of the annual trade between Michigan and Canada comes across the Ambassador Bridge.
