Didja ever see the late William Friedkin's Sorcerer? Great movie, went way over budget, bombed at the box office. Great movie, nevertheless. Apparently Mayor Duggan and other state and local officials thought so too as they may allow a potentially daily real-life reenactment along the creaky Ambassador Bridge while we all wait for the new Gordie Howe Int'l.
The Detroit International Bridge Company argues that allowing class 3 and class 8 hazardous materials will decrease the distance these materials need to travel, reducing the risk of a spill. Following the closure of the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry in September, trucks carrying class 3 and class 8 materials have had to use the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, roughly 60 miles from Detroit. Products like radioactive materials, flammable gasses, and explosives would continue to be prohibited at the company’s request.
Sam Butler, president of the Hubbard Richard Neighborhood Association, expressed concern that the aging bridge and customs plaza may be unprepared to handle class 3 and class 8 hazardous materials, including flammable liquids and corrosives. “We just don’t think it is a very good idea to transport more hazardous materials…20 feet from occupied homes,” Butler told Planet Detroit.
Steve Tobocman, a former Democratic Floor Leader in the Michigan House who represented Southwest Detroit, isn’t convinced by the argument that the Ambassador Bridge is a safer route…“Should an accident happen on the bridge, there’s not the emergency response ability to limit the damage…”
Love and bridges are generally two-way streets but the Canadian side isn't as hip to the idea, presently rendering the argument moot.