Gordie Howe bridge completion could spell change for Huron Church — Windsor's 'Thunder Road'

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a transformative project, and not just for the immediate area where it goes over the Detroit River. Huron Church Road, which leads up to and away from the Ambassador Bridge, will likely see a transformation, as much of the truck traffic could divert to the new crossing — and that could give the area a much different look and feel.

According to early traffic estimates made in a study, the new Gordie Howe International Bridge could capture 60 per cent of the traffic currently flowing across the Ambassador Bridge, according to the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority.

"I think Huron Church is going to be ripe for some more development. We've seen some partial development over the past few years," Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante said. "I can see Huron Church being a very different road for decades to come." 

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The first vehicles are scheduled to cross the new bridge when it opens next fall. The Gordie Howe International Bridge will allow vehicles to connect directly from the I-75 in Michigan to Ontario's Highway 401.

The Ambassador crossing on the Canadian side connects to Huron Church Road, which has 10 intersections with traffic lights in the roughly five kilometres between the bridge and the entry to the 401 — which causes slowdowns and delays for trucks headed to the bridge and local traffic. 

A more recent study by the University of Windsor's Cross-Border Institute says that the Gordie Howe bridge option will save the truckers 850,000 hours of waiting and save their companies billions over the life of the bridge.

"For decades, you'd have to travel through 10 traffic lights. A long line up for drivers. Delays for our vehicles. Delays for our drivers. Delays for assembly lines," said Stephen Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. 

"This modern piece of infrastructure is going to expedite the Canadian supply chain [and] the U.S. supply chain and that's great for both economies."

Anneke Smit, who is the founder of the Centre for Cities at the University of Windsor, says if there are fewer trucks and less traffic making use of Huron Church Road, that could open up several possibilities for the area. 

I mean, people must be thinking it must be better for the retail aspect of it. They're building new hotels and a lot of new restaurants and things like that, so I think it's going to be good.- Fred Bouzide

"That's good news for those neighbourhoods in terms of emissions. It also means that the road may be wider than what we need for the traffic that it has, and that might mean some opportunities for active transportation and connectivity there," she said

"It may mean shifts for those neighbourhoods as well. They may appear to be more ... livable, walkable, neighbourhood friendly than they've been in the past, as the main thoroughfare for that part of the city to the border."

Losing some thunder

A new, quieter Huron Church could bring with it new development — a trend that might already have started. A new hotel is in the midst of being built in the 2000 block and a Giant Tiger opened in 2022 at the corner of Tecumseh Road West. 

One business in the area owes its name to the heavy traffic levels.

"When we opened, hearing all the trucks rumbling down the road sounded like thunder... hence the name Thunder Road," said Rob Reed, the manager of Thunder Road Harley Davidson.

Reed said he's noticed some new development coming into the area already.

"I think more of that will come to the area in anticipation of some new traffic," he added.

Fred's Farm Fresh International Market is just across the way from Reed's business. Its owner, Fred Bouzide, has been running his business in the area for 53 years and remembers a much quieter version of Huron Church Road. 

He says the truck traffic has kept some customers away that might return if the road were to quiet down after the new bridge opens.

"No one likes the trucks, let's face it. They're noisy and when the bridge gets backed [up] we get backed up in front of our store. So let's hope that alleviates any problems with backing up in front of our store," he said. 

"They're building new hotels and a lot of new restaurants and things like that, so I think it's going to be good."