Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun says the Michigan Department of Transportation and its director have no right to prevent hazardous materials from being transported across his privately owned border crossing, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday.
The 15-page action filed in U.S. District Court criticizes MDOT director Kirk Steudle, claiming decisions to prevent materials that include corrosives, flammable liquids and explosive materials from being shipped by truck over the bridge has cost Moroun millions of dollars in lost truck tolls.
Trucks carrying hazmat — short for hazardous material — must instead use Sarnia’s Bluewater Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor truck ferry, which have proper equipment and permits in place to deal with a spill or an accident.