Ambassador Bridge, International suspension bridge on the Detroit River between Detroit, United States and Windsor, Canada
The Ambassador Bridge spans the Detroit River as a suspension crossing with a total length of 2300 meters and two steel towers each standing 118 meters tall. The roadway runs high above the water and connects both banks through massive steel cables hanging from the main towers.
Construction finished in 1929 and made the crossing the longest suspension span in the world until two years later a new structure in New York surpassed that mark. Private financing made the crossing the only privately owned border span between both countries.
The bridge's name refers to its role as a diplomatic link between the United States and Canada, and the words "Ambassador Bridge" are mounted at the top of both towers, facing the nearer shore. The crossing is a privately owned toll bridge, held through the Detroit International Bridge Company and the Canadian Transit Company.
Vehicles pay a toll in both directions and pass through border controls at either end of the roadway. The crossing takes anywhere from a few minutes to longer delays depending on traffic and wait times at checkpoints.
The foundations reach 35 meters below the water surface and anchor the main towers into the riverbed of rock and mud. This hidden part of the construction carries thousands of trucks and cars daily between both countries.
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