AASHTO Journal, 4 May 2012
The Michigan Supreme Court rejected an appeal filed by the owners of Michigan’s Ambassador Bridge last Friday, preventing the owners from regaining control of Michigan Department of Transportation’s Gateway Project.
The Gateway Project was designed to relieve heavy border crossing traffic by connecting the Ambassador Bridge to expressways by multiple new ramps and roads. Ambassador Bridge owner Detroit International Bridge Co. partnered with MDOT in 2004 to build the project, but MDOT charged in 2009 that DIBC did not construct the portion of the project it was granted to build. MDOT gained control of DIBC’s pieces of the Gateway project in order to make sure it is completed, and with the recent ruling, will be keeping them.
“We are pleased that the Michigan Supreme Court has again sided with the State of Michigan in its efforts to honor the taxpayers’ investment in a safe and more efficient border crossing for commerce and travelers between the U.S. and Canada,” said MDOT Communications Director Jeff Cranson in a statement.
The $230 million project is scheduled to open its truck route sometime this month, while the entire project is still on track to be completed in September. More information on the Gateway Project is available at 1.usa.gov/MIGateway.