Windsor Loop – Detroit Greenways Coalition

We’re working to make it easier riding in Ontario.
The updated online map shows bike and trail infrastructure in Windsor and Essex County.
Some Metro Detroit trails have been added with more to come pending SEMCOG open data updates.

The multi-use pathway on the Gordie Howe International Bridge changes everything. This new border crossing means bike rides are no longer constrained to one side of the river.

In partnership with Bike Windsor Essex, we’re working to make this easier thanks to Gordie Howe International Bridge’s Community Benefits Plan funding. One of the deliverables is making our existing online bike and trail map international. That work is largely complete.

We didn’t want to manually add Southwest Ontario bike and trail infrastructure like we had in Detroit. Fortunately both the city of Windsor and Essex County have this information available through open data portals. We now pull that information each night to ensure our map is up to date.

We’ve also added some Metro Detroit trails outside of the city, e.g. Hines Drive and Downriver Linked Greenways. While SEMCOG has this data in their open data portal, it’s not designed for this use. The good news is SEMCOG is working to improve this, which should allow us to add more Metro Detroit trails in the future.

Another new feature? We now show ferry routes.

While the map only shows existing infrastructure, we had people ask about major projects that are under construction. So, the current routes for the Joe Louis Greenway, Iron Belle Trail, Windsor Loop, and Waterfront Trail can now be highlighted using their respective menu options.

More to come

There is one more item to add: Bird Canada’s bike and scooter rentals in Windsor. They don’t use docks like MoGo, so we do need to update our software. We are looking to make updates that would allow us to show Detroit’s dockless scooter, too.

Lastely, we are creating bike frame stickers with a QR code to the map. We envision bicyclists sticking this on their bike frame to make bringing the map up on their phone a little easier. We hope to have those stickers soon.

Biking on the new bridge to Canada

In prior times, bicyclists could get between Detroit and Windsor via the ferry service or the Ambassador Bridge. Neither of those are an option today.

It’s a shame because both cities have wonderful bike trails and routes. Ontario’s wine country is a 28 mile bike ride away and mostly on a rural trail. Or if you’re more ambitious, there is now a bike route from Windsor to Montreal.

And let’s not forget the other side of tourism. There are many Canadians wanting to ride in Detroit. Windsor is easily accessible by VIA Rail, which offers bike roll-on service.

While Detroit is building a 26-mile Inner Circle Greenway, Windsor is building a 26-mile bike route called the Windsor Loop. The bridge can connect them both for an epic, international riding option.

What is the Detroit Greenways Coalition doing about re-establishing international crossings for bicyclists?

Plenty, and now we’ve documented that with a new web page called, Bicycling access between Detroit and Windsor.

The only downside to this discussion is the timeline. The new bridge is at least five years away and ferry service is unknown.