The much-anticipated Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, may not open until 2026, according to an S&P Global Ratings report obtained by the Windsor Star.

While the $4.7 billion cable-stayed span is reportedly 98% complete, final work on the ports of entry on both sides of the border has experienced significant delays, despite early projections of a fall 2025 finish.

“It is too early to offer a specific opening date for the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” said Heather Grondin, spokesperson for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), in an email to Construction Dive. “Work is progressing well toward our anticipated completion in fall 2025. We have an estimated two percent of construction work remaining. As has always been the case, our priorities have been the safety of our workers and the quality of our infrastructure, and we will not compromise on either.”

Grondin also noted that remaining work includes landscaping, paving, fencing, and interior construction such as drywall and flooring. However, the Canadian port of entry had missed multiple handoff deadlines to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) as of April, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has not confirmed its operational readiness.

“As this is an international crossing with security implications for both Canada and the U.S., we are unable to comment on certain aspects of border agency operations at the U.S. and Canadian Ports of Entry,” said Grondin.

The S&P analysis warned that if control of the facilities is not transferred by May 2025, the opening could be delayed by up to six months. Canada requires nine months to prepare its side of the crossing, while CBP needs six months for operational readiness.

In addition to facility turnover, the report cites construction labor shortages as a key challenge.

“The construction contractor and its subcontractor faced major attrition in a skilled labour force to the construction of a very large car battery manufacturing plant in the same region,” the report stated.

The bridge’s builder, Bridging North America, is a consortium made up of ACS Infrastructure Canada, Fluor Canada, and Aecon Concessions. Canada is funding the entire project and will collect tolls until costs are repaid, after which toll revenue will be shared with the U.S.

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There are four key components of the megaproject:

• The Gordie Howe International Bridge
• The Canadian Port of Entry
• The U.S. Port of Entry
• The Michigan Interchange, a 1.8-mile stretch of I-75 and adjacent local roads

Grondin said work at the Michigan Interchange is nearing completion, including line painting, signage installation, and pedestrian bridge construction.

“At the Michigan Interchange, the final steps are being undertaken by Bridging North America for the ramps that will connect I-75 to the U.S. Port of Entry with line painting and signage installations underway,” she said. “Work also continues on the five new pedestrian bridges, local road improvements and siphons construction.”

According to project updates, tower cranes were removed in June—typically a sign that a construction site is winding down.

Technological systems are also being integrated to ensure smooth border operations.

“We need to ensure that when someone drives up to the toll booth, their RFID tag is read instantly, and that information goes from the camera to the tolling operations centre without any issues,” said Grondin.

This isn’t the first time S&P has flagged delays. In 2022, it predicted the opening would be postponed to August 2025, largely due to construction complications on the Detroit side near the new I-75 interchange.

Despite the current uncertainty, officials remain focused on completing the bridge safely and to high standards. For now, the massive infrastructure effort, which promises to boost cross-border trade and mobility, remains tantalizingly close to completion—with only a few crucial steps left before it can open to the public.

Originally reported by Julie Strupp in Construction Dive.