Michigan DOT easing restrictions on Ambassador Bridge

Restrictions on a variety of materials being transported across the Ambassador Bridge are being lifted by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Some fuels and materials for batteries previously prohibited are now allowed to be hauled across the busiest international crossing in North America, which connects Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, over the Detroit River.

In a statement, officials with the Ambassador Bridge said lifting these restrictions will reduce the number of miles driven by commercial motor vehicles hauling fuel in Michigan by over 250,000 miles annually.

Ambassador Bridge officials also said increases in material truck traffic are not expected.

According to the Michigan DOT, the decision follows six months of reviewing comments, meeting with law enforcement and first responders and considering comments submitted from the public.

The Detroit International Bridge Company requested modifications of the materials allowed to cross the Ambassador Bridge, leading MDOT to commission a 2021 study to review and evaluate the risks.

MDOT said it received more than 80 letters from elected officials, business owners and the public during the public comment period in November 2023.

Following a public hearing in March, MDOT said, “A net improvement to public safety would result from granting the modification requested by the DIBC.”

Detroit International Bridge Company has a fire-suppression system and spill-mitigation protocols in place, according to MDOT. Restricted materials will be transported only during off-peak hours and under the supervision of vehicle escorts, the state DOT said.

The Ambassador Bridge, a 7,500-foot bridge built in 1929, averages more than 40,000 commuters, tourists and truck drivers carrying $323 million worth of goods across the Windsor-Detroit border each day. LL