DETROIT (WXYZ) — As the Thanksgiving holiday weekend approaches, concerns have been raised at border crossings like the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel after a car exploded Wednesday in Niagara Falls, New York.
The speeding vehicle blew up on the American side of the Rainbow Bridge between the U.S. and Canada.
There’s been no immediate word on the cause, but the FBI is investigating the car explosion that killed two people. New York's governor said there's no indication of a terrorist attack.
Detroit-Windsor Tunnel President Neal Belitsky said they’ve been communicating closely with the border protection agencies in the U.S. and Canada, as well as local law enforcement agencies on both sides.
“We’re also in close contact with other border operators through an organization we have called the BTOA, which is the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association. That group represents the crossings between New York, Ontario, Michigan and, most recently, one in Minnesota,” Belitsky said. “So we’re always in touch and we automatically increase our internal security."
Since the incident in New York, officials at border crossings across the country have been monitoring closely. Belitsky said this is a time of year when officials are on high alert.
“Tomorrow’s a big day. You have the Lions game, which is a highlight of every Thanksgiving, you have the Thanksgiving Day parade and you have the run and certainly all the cross-border shopping for Black Friday,” Belitsky said. “So this is a very, very busy period, so we’re all on heightened alert this time of year anyway, and we’ll remain so all the way through the new year.”
He said traffic on the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel has remained normal throughout the day on Wednesday. Traffic picks up some on the tunnel around the Thanksgiving holiday, Belitsky said.
Belitsky said average daily traffic on the tunnel is around 11,000, with about half going to Detroit and the other half going to Windsor.
“Most of our traffic is passenger-car traffic as opposed to the bridge. Commuter traffic is lighter but then again, we pick up all this special event traffic,” Belitsky said.
Daily traffic is expected to stay about the same.
“The Customs and Border Protection on the U.S. and Canadian side are always there to protect people,” Belitsky said. “I know sometimes people get a little bit frustrated with the wait times, but this is what it’s all about: to keep all the travelers safe going to and from the United States and Canada.”
