Ambassador Bridge owner sues officials

Lawsuit claims U.S., Canada are stalling efforts to build 2nd span over Detroit River

Mark Hicks / The Detroit News

Detroit -- The owner of the Ambassador Bridge has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Coast Guard as well as Canadian and American government officials, saying they are stalling efforts to build a second span over the Detroit River.


According to the suit filed Monday in U.S. District Court by the Detroit International Bridge Co., owned by Manuel "Matty" Moroun, and the Canadian Transit Co., a proposed competing bridge plan, the Detroit River International Crossing, violates a long-standing law passed by U.S. and Canadian governments settling ownership and maintenance of the Ambassador Bridge.


That included "the right to construct a new span to replace an older span that requires substantial maintenance to extend its useful life," the suit read.


"We feel that the U.S. and Canadian governments are constrained from interfering with the operations of the Ambassador Bridge based on acts passed by Congress and the Canadian parliament," said Phil Frame, bridge company spokesman....