On Friday Statistics Canada Released Data on the number of trucks and vehicles crossing the Gordie Howe Bridge and other Windsor Crossings.
At the end of July a peak of 1,300 trucks crossed the Gordie Howe Bridge this has continued to climb approaching 1,700. While the Ambassador bridge is the dominant truck crossing between the “other location” the trend line is slowly edging down. This transition process will take time, given the contracts that are in play between the Ambassador Bridge and other trucking companies. We are moving in the right direction.
Personal Vehicles
Given the peak number of cars on the Gordie Howe Bridge surpassed 4,500 per day in late August, with approximately 7,000 per day using the Tunnel and Ambassador Bridge, it is quite possible that more cars are using the Gordie Howe Bridge than other crossings by the end of the month depending how the daily traffic flow splits. As we don’t know the slip between the Ambassador Bridge and Tunnel, we can’t do a trendline.
It Will Take Time
It is likely going to take a year or more to see the true impacts on traffic as time is needed for various factors to play out. Shocks like tariffs could see significant short term changes, that then snap back to a busier corridor if the tariffs are removed. This could create a perceptions of a surge in traffic resulting when it is in fact just returning to pre-tarriff levels.
I will keep posting this data as I get it as best I can and keep an eye on things as we move forward. Regardless of what happens, moving forwarded with an updated Huron Church Road Master Plan is something I strongly support and hope to see in this year’s budget for discussion!
What is the updated Huron Church road plan?
In 2004 a master plan was done for Huron Church Road things like the bridge at assumption were included in it. It’s been 20 years, there is now a second bridge so HCR is no longer the only route for trucks so establishing a long term visions for the road with few trucks on it, is a logical next step.
Hey Frazier. Is there anything more that can done to get more of these big trucks off Wyandotte? It’s always frustrating to see these big trucks rumbling down Wyandotte when there are better routes available. Perhaps the city can start a dialogue with Chrysler so that once the contracts with the Ambassador Bridge are up, there could be an agreement for the truck traffic to be rerouted directly to the new bridge via EC Row and the 401.
Rewind back to before Gordie Howe and even the 401 extension was designed, and there was a lot of conversation about this new route taking those trucks off of local streets particularly Huron Church. I look forward to seeing what can be on that stretch without as many large trucks but would also like to see Wyandotte from Walkerville to Sandwich reimagined.
Short answer is no, not in the short term the City’s new truck routes were just established in late 2024. The existing routes are valid for a five year period when they are scheduled to be reviewed from my understanding. Part of the challenge is there are number of industrial/commercial operations in the Wyandotte corridor that request/want/need heavy trucks for delivery and other operations. Huron Church is a much bigger question that requires significant study around broad traffic flows and shifts.
I am not opposed to pulling forward the truck route reassessment but the Official plan is up for review starting next year, and I would want that completed before we change truck routes so that policy framework shifts trucks away from certain areas.