Home > About BNE > Press Room > 2008 Archive > September > Peace Bridge beats out rival

Peace Bridge beats out its Detroit rival

More passenger vehicles crossed the border here than on the Ambassador Bridge

By Sharon Linstedt NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER ?

09/20/08

For the first time in at least two decades, the Peace Bridge is the No. 1 choice for passenger vehicles traveling between the United States and Canada.

According to the Buffalo and Erie Bridge Authority, the international bridge linking Buffalo and Fort Erie is now carrying more non-commercial traffic than its archrival, Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge.

Through the first eight months of this year, 3,501,489 passenger vehicles crossed the Peace Bridge, compared to 3,087,265 utilizing the span between Detroit and Windsor, Ont.

“We got past them in June,” said Ron Reinas, the Peace Bridge Authority’s general manager. “It’s been more than 20 years since we’ve had more non-commercial traffic than they do, so we’re thrilled.”

The Ambassador Bridge still ranks as the top U. S./Canada border portal when it comes to total cross-border trip counts, thanks to its heavy use by commercial vehicles. For the January through August period, the Michigan bridge counted nearly 2 million trucks, while 877,057 crossed the border via Buffalo.

But the Ambassador is seeing a more significant year-over- year decline in its truck count, than the Peace Bridge so far in 2008. Through the end of August, the Detroit span’s commercial vehicle numbers were down 13.5 percent, while at the Peace Bridge, the count was off just 0.84 percent.

“Given the economic climate, we’re holding our own. The change has been negligible,” Reinas said.

While the Peace Bridge can claim the passenger vehicle crown for the first time in recent memory, its non-commercial count has declined steadily since 2003. For the peak June through August period in 2003, the Buffalo bridge carried 2.3 million, compared to 1.99 million during the summer travel month.

At the Ambassador Bridge, the passenger vehicle count for 2008 is off just over 20 percent.
“Their higher attrition rates help us [because] we’re seeing smaller declines,” Reinas said.