Bike or hike from Detroit to Canada when the Gordie Howe Bridge is built

The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced today that the Gordie Howe Bridge will include a multi-use path for bikes and pedestrians. The path is meant to encourage cycling tourism and offer healthier transportation options.

The WDBA has asked that those who are responding to the RFP (which is down to three teams) to include a multi-use path in the design.

According to the announcement, the key features of the path include:

• “One lane that accommodates two-way traffic in either direction
• Approximately 3.6 metres wide
• Concrete barriers separating vehicular traffic from pedestrians and cyclists
• A span of 2.5 kilometres, the same length as the Gordie Howe International Bridge
• Connections to local road networks in both Canada and the US
• Users will not cross pathways with vehicular traffic to ensure the safety and security of travelling public”

The bridge is expected to be completed in 2022. Bicyclists and pedestrians will, of course, have to carry the appropriate IDs when travelling between countries.