Deal reached on new bridge to Canada

(WXYZ) - Governor Snyder and Canadian officials have reached a deal to build a new bridge to Canada.

An announcement on the second span is expected to come later this week.

Details of the agreement first appeared Tuesday in the Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail .

Governor Synder’s office would not confirm or deny the report. Canadian government officials also would not say whether a deal had been reached.

A second bridge to Canada has long been a contentious issue in the area.

Matty Moroun, who owns the Ambassador Bridge, has spent millions on a campaign to stop a a publicly owned second bridge from being built. His company wants to build a twin span to the Ambassador Bridge, but Canadian officials have said that is not an option.

Governor Snyder has failed to persuade the legislature to take his side on the issue. His own party dealt him a blow late last year, voting down a proposal for a new bridge. Snyder now intends to use his executive powers to make a new bridge a reality.

Large companies like Ford Motor Company and Chrysler have both come out in support  of a new bridge, saying congestion is slowing down the supply chain, which is ultimately hurting business.

Snyder says the bridge will be paid for through tolls and the Canadian government and that Michigan taxpayers will not foot the bill.