The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, a Canadian Crown corporation, will release in 2014 a Request for Qualifications to develop a new bridge to link Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan.

The total investment for the project is estimated at US$2.5 billion: $US1.3 billion related to assets to be built on the US side, and $US850 million to those on the Canadian side.

Funding for the project is almost entirely in place. The only remaining unfunded expense is the international plaza on the US side, which has an estimated cost of $US250 million.

The Canadian government has announced that will be providing C$631 million over the next two years on a cash basis.

The project will be developed on a design, build, finance, operation and maintenance (DBFOM) basis for a period of 30 years.

All major permits required for the project have been granted, including two high-priority permits required in the US, namely the Presidential Permit and the Coast Guard Permit.

The P3 project will involve the construction of an international plaza on the Canadian side, an 850m suspension or cable stayed international bridge, an international plaza on the US side, and a direct connection from the US plaza to Interstate 75.

It is estimated that 25% of all Canadian trade to the US passes through the Windsor-Detroit border. The project aims to facilitate travel and create sufficient capacity for future trade at this border crossing.