How the Gordie Howe Bridge Revitalized Windsor’s Historic Sandwich Town

Cross-Border Cyclists Revive Historic Sandwich Town

Jim McKellar pedaled his bicycle under the August sun across the newly opened Gordie Howe International Bridge, joining a stream of cross-border cyclists coming from the U.S. side. The 74-year-old retired Ontario Hydro operator was among the first wave of visitors to cross the span when its multi-use path opened on Aug. 5, a week after vehicle lanes welcomed traffic. That influx brought hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists into the west-end Windsor neighborhood, breathing new life into a streetscape that had suffered through decades of neglect and boarded-up homes.

Traffic Numbers and Local Business Relief

Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority statistics show that between August and mid-October, roughly 600,000 vehicles traversed the crossing, while an estimated 35,000 individuals utilized its free multi-use trail. The surge of visitors packed local restaurant and bar patios, filling bike racks and spilling onto street lamps and fence posts. Nicole Sekela, co-owner of Rock Bottom Bar & Grill and Sandwich Brewing Company, reported that sales on some August days nearly tripled, forcing her to hire six extra staff members to manage the weekend rush from American patrons.

Overcoming Decades of Ambassador Bridge Neglect

Sandwich Town spent decades decaying in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge, which has cast its shadow over the neighbourhood since 1929. Stephen Hargreaves, head of the local business improvement area, pointed to streets once lined with rows of dilapidated, boarded-up houses whose doors and windows were nailed shut. Those properties were among more than 100 homes bought up since the 1990s by companies controlled by the family of the late billionaire Matty Moroun, owner of the Ambassador Bridge, as part of a stalled expansion plan that left residential blocks to rot and drove away grocery stores, banks, and the local high school. Revitalization efforts for a three-kilometre stretch of Sandwich Street got underway in 2023 via funding from the Gordie Howe International Bridge initiative, encompassing road repaving, upgraded bike lanes, new traffic signals, lampposts, waste receptacles, and bus shelters, alongside an infusion of $1 million dedicated to streetscape improvements.

Political Tensions and Apologies at the Pub

Visitors such as sisters Sarah and Julie Brennan, who cycle across the new Gordie Howe Bridge regularly, expressed enthusiasm for the new crossing and offered an apology. Julie Brennan, visiting Canada for the first time in 30 years, offered lighthearted apologies to local business owners regarding U.S. leadership and cross-border tensions. Sekela noted that numerous American customers had offered profuse apologies over the three-month span, though she consistently told them that their patronage was apology enough.

Future Hurdles for the Windsor Neighborhood

As summer transitions to winter, local officials anticipate a seasonal dip in cycling traffic, leaving open the question of whether the warm-weather momentum will sustain itself next year. Ward 2 Councillor Frazier Fathers stated that the neighborhood still faces persistent hurdles, including lingering boarded-up homes, absentee landlords who leave properties vacant, and the challenge of drawing permanent residents back to the area. Meanwhile, historical figures like Mary-Lou Gelissen, a librarian at the Windsor Public Library, and Peter Berry, harbour master at the Windsor Port Authority, emphasize that the deep-seated connections between Detroit and Sandwich—dating back to the Underground Railroad and the aftermath of the War of 1812—will continue to anchor the cross-border relationship regardless of political friction.