Windsor hires lawyer to stop expansion of Ambassador Bridge

The City of Windsor is taking action against plans by Matty Maroun's Canadian Transit Company to twin the Ambassador Bridge which runs from Windsor to Detroit, officials said Thursday at a news conference.

The City has hired Toronto lawyer David Estrin to fight the privately-owned company that wants to build another bridge across the Detroit River.

The company claims another bridge will improve the route from Canada to the United States.

Before the bridge company can move forward with plans, the federal government must gather input from the public.

Transport Canada put an ad in a local newspaper Thursday calling for submissions prompting a closed-door city council meeting to authorize the hiring of Estrin.

"We don't think there's a need for a twin span," said Mayor Drew Dilkens. "But if the twin span application is approved and permission is granted there's certainly going to be significant impacts on the City of Windsor, and certainly Sandwich Towne," he said.

"There needs to be mitigation put in place to address the concerns that we have in that very, very important neighbourhood really the birth place of the City of Windsor,"said Dilkens.

Estrin will put together a package of the city's concerns, which will be presented to Transport Canada.

The city has 60 days to submit its concerns.

Dilkens did not reveal how much Estrin is costing the city, but he said it was a hefty amount.

Once the submissions are made to Transport Canada, they will be made public.