Neighbourhoods · 9 min read · September 29, 2026 · By Clayton Hartford
The Gordie Howe effect: bikes, business and rediscovered landmarks in Windsor and Detroit
Since the Gordie Howe International Bridge opened this summer, bikes have been pouring across the river. Sandwich Town and Southwest Detroit are suddenly busy, local businesses are having a strong season, and landmarks people drove past for decades are drawing visitors again.
The short version
The Gordie Howe International Bridge opened to cars and trucks on July 27, 2026, and its free walking and cycling path opened on August 5, 2026. The path links Clark Park in Southwest Detroit with Malden Park and historic Sandwich Town in west Windsor. It has turned two of the region's oldest neighbourhoods into a gateway: cyclists and runners crowd the streets on weekends, cafés, taverns and shops report their best business in years, and old landmarks like the Duff-Baby House, the Dominion House and Historic Fort Wayne are being rediscovered.
A bridge you can ride across
After more than two decades of planning and construction, the Gordie Howe International Bridge opened to traffic in late July. Its 853-metre main span is the longest of any cable-stayed bridge in North America. For people who live here, though, the path matters more than the traffic lanes.
Unlike the Ambassador Bridge or the tunnel, the Gordie Howe has a dedicated multi-use path. You can walk, run or cycle between Canada and the U.S. for free, and both ends have customs facilities built for people on foot and on bikes. The crossing is about 3 km. It takes roughly 20 minutes by bike or 45 minutes on foot, with a steady 5% climb to about 150 feet above the Detroit River. From the top you can see both downtown skylines and the Ambassador Bridge.
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April through October, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November through March. Access closes an hour before the path does.
- What to bring: A passport, NEXUS card or enhanced driver's licence. You're crossing an international border.
- Bikes: Pedal bikes and pedal-assist (Class 1) e-bikes are allowed. The speed limit is 20 km/h, and the descent into Windsor is fast.
- Not allowed: Skateboards, scooters, drones, speakers, alcohol, cannabis and agricultural products.
- Parking: There is none at the bridge. Start from the Malden Park trailhead in Windsor or the Clark Park trailhead in Detroit.
Cyclists are filling the streets
Before the bridge, crossing between Windsor and Detroit meant driving. Now, on a warm weekend, bike groups from Michigan come down the ramp into Sandwich Town, stop for coffee or a pint, and then head east along the Windsor riverfront. Runners and rollerbladers have followed.
Residents and business owners in Sandwich told CBC News that their west-end neighbourhood has been taken over by cyclists and runners from Michigan. Detroit riders who crossed for the first time said they plan to make a ride through Sandwich part of their routine. The bridge also connects major trail networks. On the Canadian side it feeds into the Trans Canada Trail and the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. On the Detroit side, new trails and protected bike lanes are planned to link it with the Joe Louis Greenway and Michigan's Iron Belle Trail.
Business is booming in Sandwich Town
Sandwich Town is one of the oldest European settlements in Ontario, and it has had a hard few decades. It sits in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge truck route, and more storefronts sat empty than anyone liked. The new bridge landed right beside it, and a month after it opened the change was already obvious.
- Pretty & Co. La Maison Marché opened around the same time as the bridge. Its owner, Katie Wall DiPierdomenico, told CBC she "can hardly keep up." American bike groups make up a large share of her customers.
- Jake's Old Town Tavern says weekends are its busiest time and sales have gone up sharply since the path opened. American riders apparently like to order Old Vienna.
- Olde Town Bake Shoppe has been in Sandwich for more than 24 years. Its owner says the neighbourhood has become a real gateway to Canada, and she hopes visitors don't just head straight for the 401.
- Sandwich Brewing Co. is a natural stop after the climb, and it runs seasonal ghost tours of the old town.
Statistics Canada counted more than 41,000 crossings into Canada on the bridge in its first five days of vehicle traffic. Business owners in Sandwich say they are also seeing plenty of goodwill. Many American visitors are going out of their way to be friendly across the border. Some storefronts are still empty, and local business owners hope the new traffic will bring new owners to fill them.
Forgotten landmarks, rediscovered
The bridge's landing points happen to be two of the most historic, and most overlooked, places on either side of the river. People who once saw these places only from a car window are now getting off their bikes to look.
On the Windsor side
- The Duff-Baby House, dating to 1798, is one of the oldest buildings in Ontario.
- The Dominion House is believed to be the oldest continuously operating tavern in southwestern Ontario.
- Sandwich First Baptist Church was built by freedom seekers who came to Canada on the Underground Railroad. Sandwich itself was founded in 1797.
- Mackenzie Hall, the old Essex County courthouse, and Assumption Church, home to one of the oldest parishes in Ontario, are both a short ride from the bridge.
- Malden Park, where the Windsor trail starts, has the highest lookout in Essex County.
- The Ojibway Prairie Complex protects nearly 1,000 acres of rare tallgrass prairie and oak savannah. Ojibway Shores is the last natural stretch of Detroit River shoreline in Ontario.
On the Detroit side
- Historic Fort Wayne was built in 1845 and sits right across from the Jefferson Avenue entrance to the bridge path. It's now a riverside park with picnic areas and playing fields.
- Clark Park is the Detroit trailhead, in the heart of Southwest Detroit near Mexicantown and the historic Delray neighbourhood.
- The Southwest Greenway passes The Yard Graffiti Museum on its way to the restored Michigan Central Station in Corktown.
- The Detroit Riverwalk, Hart Plaza and the new Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park make a full loop back downtown.
A day ride from Detroit to Walkerville
A good cross-border day starts in Clark Park. Ride over the Gordie Howe, clear Canadian customs, and coast into Sandwich Town for coffee and a pastry. Then follow the Windsor riverfront trail east, past the Ambassador Bridge and downtown, into Walkerville. It's roughly 10 km from Sandwich along the water, with the Detroit skyline beside you the whole way.
Walkerville is where the day slows down. There's the Hiram Walker distillery, the century-old homes along Devonshire and Monmouth, and the restaurants and patios on Wyandotte. Ford City and Drouillard Road are a short ride further east. That's the neighbourhood where Canada's car industry began, which we covered in What drew Henry Ford to Walkerville.
If you'd rather not ride back the same day, stay the night. Our homes are in the Distillery District, and we have cruiser bikes for guests who want to explore the riverfront without hauling their own gear across the border.
Not up for the ride to the bridge? If you'd rather not cycle from Walkerville to the Gordie Howe, we can arrange transportation for our guests. That includes our Tesla black car service, which will take you to the bridge and pick you up when you're done. It's the same eco-friendly Tesla service we run for airport transfers, described in our Tesla shuttle post. Email hello@distilleryhomes.com to book.
Common questions
Can you bike across the Gordie Howe International Bridge?
Yes. The bridge has a dedicated multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists that opened on August 5, 2026. Pedal bikes and Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes are allowed.
Is it free to walk or cycle across the Gordie Howe Bridge?
Yes. There is no toll for pedestrians or cyclists. Car tolls are about CA$8 or US$5.75.
What ID do I need to cross the Gordie Howe Bridge on foot or by bike?
The same documents you'd need at any Canada–U.S. border crossing: a passport, NEXUS card, or enhanced driver's licence or ID.
What are the hours for the Gordie Howe Bridge bike path?
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April through October, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November through March. Access ends one hour before closing.
Where does the Gordie Howe Bridge path start and end?
In Detroit, the recommended trailhead is Clark Park in Southwest Detroit. In Windsor, it's Malden Park, near historic Sandwich Town. Neither end has parking at the bridge itself.
How far is Walkerville from the Gordie Howe Bridge?
Walkerville is roughly 10 km east of Sandwich Town along the Windsor riverfront trail. That's an easy, flat ride of about 40 minutes.
Can I get a ride from Walkerville to the Gordie Howe Bridge?
Yes. Distillery Homes can arrange transportation to the bridge for guests who don't want to cycle there, including a Tesla black car service. Email hello@distilleryhomes.com to book.
Make it a weekend
Ride over from Detroit and stay in a restored heritage home in Walkerville's Distillery District. See the houses or email hello@distilleryhomes.com.
Sources
- Bikes, brews and apologies: A month after the Gordie opens, this is what's changed in Sandwich, CBC News
- Gordie Howe bridge officially open, CTV News
- How to Bike the Gordie Howe Bridge: Detroit to Windsor, Visit Detroit
- Gordie Howe International Bridge Crossing, Great Lakes Waterfront Trail
- Gordie Howe International Bridge, Detroit Greenways Coalition
- Gordie Howe International Bridge, Wikipedia
Related: What drew Henry Ford to Walkerville · Walkerville rising · Cruiser bike rentals