Crowds lined up on both sides of the border Wednesday morning hoping to be among the first people to use the multi-use path on the Gordie Howe International Bridge. The path allows cyclists, runners, and pedestrians to cross between Windsor and Detroit free of charge. For decades, the two cities had no bridge open to cyclists or pedestrians after that access was discontinued on the Ambassador Bridge. The pathway opened to the public at 8 a.m. following the bridge’s opening to vehicular traffic on July 27. IN PHOTOS: Pedestrian path opens on Gordie Howe International Bridge Within 15 minutes, bridge staff said 250 people — 125 entering from Windsor and 125 from Detroit — had been admitted to the path, reaching its opening-day capacity. Entry was then paused, with additional users allowed onto the path as others exited. Michigan resident Neil Greenberg was welcomed on the Canadian side as the first American to cross into Windsor using the path. Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and Invest WindsorEssex, presented Greenberg with a return visit that includes an overnight stay, dinner, and an exclusive tourism experience. “I’m feeling energized and happy. It’s a beautiful day. Everyone’s smiling,” Greenberg said. “Great to be among the friends and neighbors. This is such a special, unique thing we have here in Detroit-Windsor.” Greenberg estimated his bicycle ride took approximately 12 or 13 minutes. Once in Windsor, he planned to cycle into Walkerville for coffee before returning to Michigan in time for work. “I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time I was doing it,” he said. “Walk it, bike it. Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your neighbors.” Greenberg said the opening carries added meaning amid political and trade tensions between Canada and the United States. “Different mindsets politically are going to come and go and different people may feel different ways about different styles of leadership,” he said. “But nothing’s ever going to push Windsor and Detroit and Canada and the U.S. apart. It’s just never going to happen … We got this strong connection here in Detroit and Windsor. Nothing’s taking that away.” The midpoint, beneath the Canadian and U.S. flags marking the middle of the bridge, quickly became a gathering spot. Along with offering an expansive view overlooking the Detroit River, the location features plaques marking the international boundary between Canada and the United States. Visitors gathered around the markers to take photographs with the river and both skylines in view. Martha Peotre, who lives about a mile from the bridge in Detroit, said she has watched the crossing take shape for years. “We’ve been watching it be built and waiting for this day for years and years,” Peotre said. “We’re so glad to be intermingling with our Canadian neighbors and enjoying this beautiful day.” Peotre said she previously visited Windsor three or four times a year and hopes the path will make those trips more frequent. Clark McCall, a U.S. resident who has lived in the Detroit area for 50 years, used the path to cycle into Windsor for the first time. “It was wonderful,” McCall said. “It’s nice to be able to get into the country without having to be in a car, and looking forward to doing this a lot more.” McCall said most of his previous trips through Windsor were on the way to somewhere else. With the path now open, he expects to visit the city more frequently. “I think it’s going to change the whole dynamics around Detroit,” McCall said. “Go to Detroit, bike around there — ‘Hey, you want to go to Windsor?’” He also predicted the path would generate more demand for restaurants and other businesses in Sandwich Town and on the Detroit side. Debra Williams incorporated the opening into her seventh wedding anniversary. Visiting family in Michigan from Pennsylvania, she walked the path while her husband made the trip by bicycle. “It’s just another historic occasion for both these countries,” Williams said. “It’s just amazing to be able to walk this.” Williams recalled growing up at a time when people would routinely cross the border to shop for the day. She hopes the new connection can help bring residents of the two countries closer together. “We’ve been walking past saying good morning, seeing people with their Canada shirts on,” Williams said. “So, you know, it takes people to heal wounds.” Wheelchairs and strollers were also welcomed onto the path, while a few people completed the crossing on unicycles. One rider said he had dreamed about making the trip since bridge construction began in 2018 and dedicated the accomplishment to his late grandfather, John. “I wanted to get off so bad because it was just so tiring. But I persevered, and I’m so glad I did,” he said. “Going down, it was super nice. So I’m really happy about the decline.” The path is approximately 3.6 metres wide, giving cyclists and pedestrians ample room to share it and pass one another. “Everyone was respectful,” the unicyclist said. “It was a great community up there. Everyone was happy to be crossing. So I think it went better than people thought it would.” Opening day also drew visitors from well outside the Windsor-Detroit region. Marilyn Hill, 73, travelled from Kitchener-Waterloo and stayed overnight in Windsor specifically to ride the path. Hill belongs to the Easy Rider Cycling Club, a senior cycling group with approximately 240 members. “We might come back next year for a weeklong tour,” Hill said. For Hill, the best part of reaching the international boundary was seeing “something good” bringing the two countries together. Mondrell Pickens made the trip with a group of approximately 14 relatives, including children and grandchildren. Family members arranged to have the day off and woke up around 6 a.m. so they could experience the crossing together. “We all wanted to do it together as something to remember for the rest of our life,” Pickens said. “We could pass that down to our children.” Al and Nancy Rabideau drove approximately 90 minutes Wednesday morning after waiting years for the path to open. They arrived equipped with water and snacks before setting out for Detroit. Detroit residents Laquesha Sypes and Charmaine Huntley also crossed the bridge after watching its construction progress over several years. They described the opening as an opportunity for two neighbouring communities to come together and share a moment of history. “Even though it’s two different cultures, we all have the same heart,” Huntley said. “We all are here to be a part of history and unite with each other.” The multi-use path is 2.5 kilometres long, with the total travel distance between the border inspection booths measuring approximately three kilometres each way. The crossing is expected to take about 20 minutes by bicycle or 45 minutes on foot, not including the time required for border processing. The path reaches a height of approximately 46 metres above the Detroit River and includes a five per cent incline in some areas. Its speed limit is 20 km/h, and officials are reminding users that the crossing is not a race. The path will operate seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer, with last entry at 7 p.m. Users must carry the documentation required to enter or re-enter Canada and the United States, such as a valid passport or NEXUS card, and complete border processing. Anyone who turns around before completing the crossing must still clear customs upon returning to their country of origin.
