The new Windsor-Detroit bridge is taking another step forward with the appointment of two people who will help oversee the process.
Essex MP Jeff Watson announced Monday morning outgoing mayor Eddie Francis is now a member of the international authority. Francis will take on responsibilities surrounding construction of the $1-billion bridge. "I think there's a lot of discussion with the importance of having a community voice," says Francis. "I'm looking forward to joining my colleagues at the authority level in representing the best interests of this community and representing the interests of Canada as it relates to moving this project forward."
Lawyer Craig Rix has also been appointed to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority's board of directors.
The federal government says it's "motivated" to open the new crossing by 2020 and Watson says the international authority will have a big role to play. "They will have very strategic decisions to make to ensure that what the (Windsor-Detroit) Bridge Authority is doing is within the international crossing agreement," says Watson. "They will have a lot of strategic decisions to make I think also related to land acquisitions and other issues on the U.S. side."