Toll rates have been announced for the Gordie Howe International Bridge as officials prepare for the long-awaited opening of the new Windsor–Detroit crossing later this spring.

The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) also launched “Breakaway,” a toll discount program designed to streamline border crossings and provide reduced rates for registered users, beginning with business accounts.

Commercial trucks and other larger vehicles will pay $12 CAD ($8.75 USD) per axle, or $9.60 CAD ($6.90 USD) per axle with a Breakaway account.

Businesses can now register accounts to prepare fleets for the bridge’s opening. Personal accounts for individual drivers are expected to launch in the coming weeks.

Vehicles equipped with Breakaway tags will be able to pass through toll lanes automatically. Charges are applied to the user’s account in seconds, allowing vehicles to continue without stopping, the bridge authority said in a release.

Chuck Andary, interim chief executive officer and chief legal officer of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, said announcing toll rates and launching the program marks a key milestone ahead of opening.

“We’ve established a customer-focused toll program that helps travellers and businesses move goods, grow businesses, and cross the border toward their destination with flexibility and convenience,” he said.

David Henderson, CEO of Bridging North America, the consortium responsible for designing and building the bridge, said crews are completing final testing and commissioning work as the project approaches opening day.

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) welcomed the step toward the bridge’s opening.

“As Canada’s busiest commercial trade corridor with the United States, the Gordie Howe International Bridge will significantly enhance trade efficiency and strengthen this vital economic gateway,” Stephen Laskowski, president and CEO of the OTA, said in a release. “By registering for toll accounts now, businesses can position themselves to capitalize on the immediate opportunities and efficiencies the bridge will offer.”

The Gordie Howe International Bridge will provide a direct highway-to-highway connection between Ontario’s Highway 401 and Michigan’s Interstate 75. The crossing will feature six traffic lanes, 16 toll lanes and 60 inspection lanes split between Canadian and U.S. ports of entry.

Industry groups say the bridge will help improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the Windsor–Detroit corridor, the busiest commercial land border crossing between Canada and the United States.

The bridge’s opening came under threat by U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks, but Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said in her State of the State address that the new Gordie Howe International Bridge will open later this year as scheduled.